Wings
by tris2
Summary: In Harry's 6th year classes are different and Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione have more strength, new powers and they need answers. Hogwarts needs protecting...but are the four strong enough to do it? Pairings: H/G R/Hr
1. It starts

Just briefly, I'm re-writing the early chapters of Wings at the moment, so there is a steep change in quality but it won't be there forever... I'm working on it =)

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on Wings.

There is nothing in particular that sets apart any of the houses in Little Whinging. Each medium sized house is diligently looked after and each garden is a well-maintained area different from its neighbours only because of the colour or the roses or the extra plant pot.

The residents of Little Whinging all take pride in the knowledge that nothing ever really happens there. If it weren't for the gossip, which is mainly obtained and circulated by Mrs Petunia Dursley most residents would be bored stiff. Because of this reliance on a good story, the residents never let a particularly juicy rumour be halted by or made any less interesting by such meaningless details as the facts of a situation. They've found that the stories are much better that way. And really, when the 'next most interesting' thing to happen was a neighbour buying their fourth ornamental garden gnome, nobody cares much if the rumours are true.

Perhaps the best example of this kind of thinking can be seen in Petunia Dursley's favourite work. Petunia takes particular joy in informing all of her friends of what a truly evil creature her nephew Harry Potter has become. Indeed all of Petunia's friends have added their own tales of Potter-related woe to the story and it has become something of a local legend. (Second only to the up-to-date list of the several lovers that Mrs Johnson at number 42 manages to get away with having, without her husband's knowledge.)

Behind the story, all of these same women rather liked Harry Potter, he was nothing less than polite whenever they saw him. In private, they often expressed good-natured enquiries as to the boy's health when he was home from 'St Brutus's' the school which was more realistically believed to be St Helen's. St Helen's being the boarding school which was located in the neighbouring town and so the most likely place the boy would be.

It may therefore be quite a shock for the entire community to discover that at this moment Petunias nephew was currently on holiday from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Of course, if they ever did find this out, Petunia would have failed in her work and she took far too much care for that to happen.

At this particular moment in time, Harry Potter was sitting on his bed reading a book entitled "The Most Complex and Delicate Potions You Are EVER Likely To Brew" and finishing off the last of his summer homework after only three week of summer has passed.

As Harry finished his essay, he looked over at the clock to see that it was already two in the morning.

"I better get some sleep" he thought to himself. His eyes fell on the leather bound photo album given to him by Hagrid, and against his will, his mind drifted to Sirius. Before he could control the train of thought, he remembered their last moments together and the almost-graceful ark his godfather's body had made as he had fallen beyond the veil.

Harry wasn't sure how long he sat there; trapped by the image. When he came back to reality his eyes were filled with tears. The trouble was that every thought of Sirius became the thought of how if only he had been faster he could have saved his godfather's life. He hadn't meant to be so emotional, he imagined Ron's half embarrassed attempt at cheering him up. He imagined how Remus wouldn't want him to dwell on this. He thought of how Dumbledore had faith that Harry could come through this. He would not let the tears fall, he imagined... he imagined that Sirius wouldn't want that and he found that if he thought of Sirius for long enough he could convince himself that Sirius might want Harry to forget the night he died and focus on better times for them. It was a lot easier thinking it than actually doing it.

There was a lot about Sirius's sudden death that Harry was still struggling to come to terms with. There was an overwhelming sense of loss, but deeper than that, there was some small comfort; at least Sirius was with his parents. Even then Harry still fought the endless loop of his thoughts: Sirius – Sirius falling – Should have been faster – Sirius – Sirius falling ... on and on it went.

He almost missed the moment when, Hedwig flew in through the open window and dropped another letter from Ron and Hermione onto his lap. It seemed that Hermione and Ron were so worried about Harry that they thought they had to write to him each day to keep him from running after Voldemort or giving in to his sadness over Sirius.

_... I swear to you Harry Potter that if you don't reply to this letter I shall turn up on your doorstep and start explaining Hogwarts to every one of your relatives..._

_Hermione._ Harry thought fondly. He looked over to the pile of letters from his friends and frowned at them.

_...Seriously, mate, how are you? Moony's been here for a few nights and he seems to be holding on... not by much, but... Tonks is helping. Did you hear about that yet? Seems things are going well in his love life even if... if..._

_I'm really sorry Harry._

Harry smiled at the letter, his smile was a pale imitation of all that it should be, but he tried. That, for him, was progress. He tried to smile at Ron's kindness and easy sincerity.

"That's a good point" Harry mused at he looked to his owl, "When was the last time I wrote back?"

It took a few minutes for him to find paper – something from a writing kit Dudley hadn't bothered with – and even longer to find a pen which worked. It took so long to find that Harry realised he hadn't written back to them; not once since summer had started.

For a moment he had no clue what to write, then he sighed and started to write the first thing that came to mind. After three weeks, he hoped any reply would be better than none at all.

_Dear Ron and Hermione,_

_I don't know if you're both at The Burrow so I'll write this letter twice just in case you aren't in the same place. I'm...okay. I think. Well... I'm better than before. I didn't realise that I hadn't replied..._

After that small breakthrough for Harry, his letters from Ron and Hermione came on a daily basis without fail. He made sure that he replied to every single one, even when all three of them had run out of anything to say. He spent most of a week playing hangman by post with Ron before they moved on to 'I spy' which is a lot harder when the players aren't in the same room.

In a lot of ways, Harry was given more freedom this summer: the Dursley's were now completely ignoring him. It was actually a relief for Harry, he waited for them to fall asleep and had free range of the house, though admittedly he tended to stay in his room. They ignored him faithfully as he helped himself to food and only the grinding of his uncle's teeth gave away their displeasure.

Harry opened the envelope a few days before his birthday, and he saw that there were three letters instead of the normal two. "Odd" he spoke aloud, "Who else would want to talk to me?"

As he read through the letter, he recognised the humour and caring words as Ginny's work. He smiled to himself as he read; only Ginny could think the necessity of class discriminated against the uninformed. A the days passed and the letters from Ginny were replied to along with the others, Harry and Ginny ran out of polite conversation and found themselves becoming closer friends. Ginny could make Harry laugh, and that was all it had taken for him to open up to her a little. Not so much as with Ron and Hermione, but... telling her some of what he was thinking made him feel better. It seemed right, somehow.

It was strange to Harry that she'd managed to fit into his life like that, but from the sound of the consistently delivered letters from both Ron and Hermione, Ginny had somehow fully become a part of their conversations that summer. He had to admit that he was happy about it. Harry would always rely on Ron and Hermione but it was nice to be able to imagine increasing the Golden Trio into a quartet; something about the thought seemed to balance.

On Harry's birthday, he received sweets from Hermione and a book on how to perform the wronski feint without a side effect of death "thought it might come in useful" was Ron's note. Harry was slightly disappointed to receive a note from Ginny saying that she wouldn't be able to send his gift, but that she'd give Harry his present on the train and she wondered if Harry should give her hers on the train too.

It was at that moment that he wrote a particularly hasty letter to Ron asking for Floo Powder and then wrote a fast note to Mrs Figg who he suspected would have the closest Floo connection.


	2. The realization

Hi! It's me again

Thanks to my first reviewer chickandsurfer01 for your support of Wings!

I just noticed I have no disclaimer so here it is: I own nothing but the plot. Everything else belongs to the goddess that is J. and I make no profit whatsoever from this work of fanfiction.

Harry was relieved when September the first arrived and he was able to portkey to platform nine and three quarters. (Thanks to a rather fetching striped sock that the headmaster had sent him.) He hadn't expected relief to be the emotion he felt. He hadn't had an awful summer as far as his aunt, uncle and cousin were concerned, he had made a real friend in Ginny, he had even... he was fairly sure... started to make some progress in coping with Sirius's death. The one thing Harry wished he'd been able to find the strength to do was to write to Remus more. Each time he put pen to paper he felt as though he was begging forgiveness from Remus and Hermione had advised him that it would do neither of them much good if Harry sent letters like that. Instead he had settled for relaying messages through Ron and Hermione to Molly Weasley and then finally on to the last Marauder.

Harry arrived half an hour before the train was due to leave so after he had gotten a compartment he sat down to wait. He hoped Remus understood; his replies had said that he did but Harry wouldn't put it past Molly to have added some forgiveness to the message.

After what felt like hours, the door to his compartment opened and in walked Ron who looked mostly the same as last time Harry had seen him only with added muscle and Hermione who seemed to have grown a little taller over the summer.

For the first few moments, all any of the trio could do was stare. Ron and Hermione looked sick with worry and Harry too felt a little green as his stomach rolled. They had done so much for him this summer, now he would be able to pay them back somehow.

Hermione spoke first as she knelt next to the bench Harry occupied.

"I should have been better, Harry. You taught us better."

He was too stunned to speak as Hermione grabbed his hand and Ron started to talk behind her.

"Honestly, Harry, I don't know what to say... we should have been better. We're supposed to be in this with you, right? To the end and we...we couldn't do it. We got hurt, we weren't good enough." Ron turned his shame-filled eyes on Harry who was still working through his shock that they were apologizing to him.

"And if I hadn't doubted you, we might have had a few minutes more... it could have made the difference" Hermione continued around her shaking.

"But... you were right. Hermione, it _was_ a trap. You were right to doubt me." Harry's hand gripped hers as he pointed out the truth to her, bewilderment filling his voice.

"That isn't the point. The point is that we might have saved him. Once we committed to going to the Ministry, we might still have saved him once he arrived. We had the chance, at least, and we failed." Hermione chewed on her lip.

"She's right," Ron spoke up again as he took a seat opposite Harry, looking more serious than ever, "We've been talking about it all summer and we're sure we could have saved him if ..."

"If only we'd been..." Hermione seemed to be fighting back tears and Harry understood that they must have been feeling this guilt since last year and had held it back from him.

"Oh, Hermione, why didn't you say? Ron..." Harry was at a loss: they felt responsible when he was then one... but he was trying not to think like that anymore. _None of us should feel so bad _Harry took a breath and his eyes flicked between his two best friends.

"We thought you might be angry, you see," Ron mumbled as he looked at his own feet.

"No, not angry... we thought we'd let you down." Hermione amended and Harry bolted from his seat.

"Let ME down?" He gasped, still clinging desperately to Hermione's hand as he pulled her to her feet.

"Because we didn't ... we couldn't manage to..." The rest of her words trailed away as tears ran down her cheeks.

"Wait, really, wait a moment! You thought... you thought that? That this was your fault?" Harry turned to them both. He was trying to make them see how much he valued them and how he could never ever blame them. "But... it wasn't your fault! Not at all! You both did so much and you tried so hard to help me when you thought I was mad. You really thought that I blamed you?"

"We thought you blamed yourself, but we knew some of it was our fault! We wanted to be better, mate. We'll try all year this time." Ron promised with fierce intensity.

"I have a schedule, and-" Hermione wiped at her eyes and Harry startled her by drawing her into a hug before, briefly, doing the same to Ron.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. I don't know what I did to deserve such good people? I ... look, I love you both." Harry blushed furiously and knew Ron was doing the same while Hermione choked back tears. "You really saved me this summer."

"We did?" Hermione smiled as she sniffed one last time.

"Yeah," Harry explained, "and I never blamed either of you. I promise."

"Really?" Ron asked as the trio settled back into their seats.

"Yes." Harry smiled and decided it was time to change the subject. "So... how was your summer?"

A few minutes later there was a hesitant knock on the door and Ginny shouldered it open.

"Do you mind if I - ?"

"Come in," Hermione beamed at her newest friend.

"Oh yeah! I was wondering where you'd gotten to." Ron nodded.

"Thanks." Ginny dragged her trunk with her and Harry moved to lift the other end for her before he thought of how heavy the trunk would be. He and Ginny grinned as they dragged the uncooperative baggage through the door.

"Thanks Harry." It was only as they'd put the trunk with the other three that Harry had his first real look at the girl he'd been writing to all summer.

That first glimpse of her smashed Harry's last thought of Ginny as Ron's little sister. She looked so beautiful to Harry that suddenly his heart leapt, and he had to restrain himself from staring at her. It was as he hugged her hello that it hit him: he was in love with Ginny. _How long ago had it happened?_ He asked himself as he realised how deeply his feelings ran. It was so sudden, but it had been there all along now that he looked back... in all his letters, it had been there. _Which letter had been the one? Which one made me see her?_ Harry was left privately stunned by his feelings and they way they had managed to sneak up on him so completely.

"You're welcome." He assured her as they moved back to the other two.

Harry turned to Ginny and smiled, "I know you're holding out on me," he said.

A look of confusion passed over Ginny's face before she realised what he was talking about, "I haven't a clue what you could possibly mean Mr Potter! "

"Oh yes you do" he grinned and her answering smile sent shivers down his spine, "you, Miss Weasley, owe me a birthday present!"

"True, but if memory serves, you owe me one too." Then she gave in to the giggles she had been smothering since Harry had called her "Miss Weasley." Grinning, she crossed to her bag and brought out a box, which she handed to Harry

Inside the box was a small amulet in the shape of an attacking Griffin. Harry traced the wings of the lion in awe. The amulet which was made of gold had flecks of silver in the Griffin's wings making them look alive, and the rubies set as eyes burnt with an inner fire. It hung on a fine chain and could be hidden easily under his clothes. For a moment he wondered how much she had spent on him, the thought of her using her savings for him made him feel undeserving.

"Do you like it? I spent forever cleaning it and I think it might be real gold! The woman who sold it mustn't have realised how much it was worth." Ginny watched him as he turned the Griffin to catch the light.

Harry marvelled at his gift and stuttered "I-I don't know how to thank you! Ginny, it's wonderful!" Ginny beamed at him as Harry fastened the chain around his neck.

"I wasn't sure if you'd like it," Ginny confessed "but the woman who sold it me wouldn't take no for an answer. She almost forced me to buy it. She said it was part of a set, one of four sacred animals and it could-"

"-bestow protection on its wearer?" Harry finished

"Yes, how did you know?" Ginny asked, puzzled.

"You're never going to believe this." he said as he handed Ginny her gift "I think we met the same woman in Diagon Alley. She wouldn't let me leave without it said there were four amulets all together but she only had the two."

"Wow," was all Ginny could manage as she opened the box and stared at the beautiful pendant. "It's the most wonderful thing."

"I don't know, personally, I think those socks Fred and George sent you for your birthday were better." Ron joked as he smiled at her gift.

Hermione smiled too and looked at Ginny's amulet "How lovely! It looks like a war unicorn."

War unicorns were the rarest kind of winged horse on the planet. Rather than Pegasi who took the form of winged horses, War Unicorns were, as the name suggested, winged unicorns. In times of need, they would fight to destroy evil, and they would sometimes, very rarely become the familiar of a person who proved themselves pure of soul. Most young girls dreamed of meeting a war unicorn someday.

As Ginny placed the amulet around her neck, she smiled at Harry and yet again he felt his heart flutter as he smiled back.

The rest of the train journey passed quickly, Neville and Luna stopped by to say hello for half an hour and regaled them with stories of Luna's crumple-horned snorkack hunt, and Neville's disastrous attempt to grow Devil's Snare secretly in his grandmother's greenhouse.

Just before the train was due to arrive in Hogsmede Hermione looked up from her conversation with Ron and said, "Actually, we have something to tell you."

"We wanted you to know before the rumours started." Ron continued, "Hermione and I are a couple"

"That's wonderful you guys!" Ginny said as she rushed over to congratulate them.

"Good for you two! I'm really hap- oh no!" Harry bit off the end of his sentence as realisation struck.

"What? What is it mate?" Ron said anxiously, obviously looking to Hermione in panic, "We know we should have told you, but what with Sirius and all we wanted to do it in person, and-"

"No, no! It isn't that! It's just..." At that point Harry began to chuckle. "Why couldn't you have waited till after the train journey? I was so close!"

"Sorry Harry!" Ginny said, a wicked glint in her eyes. He'd told her weeks ago about the bet he's placed with the twins. "But you aren't in the first two weeks of 6th year 'till we get to the feast"

"I know. I know." he reached into his pocket and handed 10 galleons to an ecstatic Ginny.

"My brothers will be very happy!" She grinned as she stowed the money in her pocket for now; she would visit the owlery after the feast.

Hermione looked over at Ron "I don't know whether to be flattered or start hexing them."

"Trust me," Harry interjected, "you should be flattered."

"Yeah," said Ginny, "if you'd have waited until Christmas Parvati would have won!"


	3. The Book of Belonging

Hello again!

Chickanosurfer - thank you for putting me on your favourite authors list! Its really nice of you! I hope you like chapter 3

Varsitycheerleader - thanks for the review and this chapter is the beginning of the plot

I would like to dedicate this chapter to Rhyanna (sp?) for all your help with the fic!

After the train had pulled into Hogsmede station, everyone rushed off the train and to the carriages. Harry Ron and Hermione were last off the train and they ran to the carriages in an attempt not to be late.

However, when Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny reached the thestrals, the usually unaffectionate creatures pulled the remaining two carriages over and thrust their noses into Harry's hands. It seemed that they too knew of Harry's loss.

"Thank you" Harry whispered to them truly touched by their attempt to comfort him. He smiled sadly to Hermione as she took his hand and led him into the carriage.

"And so" said Dumbledore after the feast, "another year is upon us, filled with new challenges and old friends. We have entered dark times. Voldemort has returned and is gaining power. His attacks are dangerous, there is no point pretending otherwise, but I ask you to remember that you are safe here."

The Headmaster paused to let his eyes sweep the room. When the students commented on it later, most would say they had the feeling he was _looking_ for something. Other than the first years there were no new students and so they had to assume that Dumbledore had been looking for something different, some particular kind of change in his pupils.

"Now, on to happier matters!" Dumbledore spoke to break the silence and gave no hint as to whether he has seen what he was searching for. "I am proud to announce that due to our lack of a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, those classes will be handled by a range of professors who will tutor you all to the best of their great abilities until such time as we can find a suitable applicant for the post." the hall filled with cheers, even from the Slytherins, at the prospect of a string of competent and sane defence teacher.

"Professor Flitwick will begin our Defence rota this year with a short course on Curses and Hexes. You all have that to look forward to." Dumbledore spoke with his usual twinkling eyes.

"Also," Dumbledore continued, "I would ask that the fifth and sixth year students stay here for a moment and that everyone else goes to their dormitories for a good night's sleep! Seventh years, please lead the way."

After this statement, the younger years and the seventh years left talking of how good it felt to be back at school. There were a lot of curious glances spared for the students asked to stay. Ron offered a shrug when Harry looked questioningly at him and Hermione too seemed to have no more information.

"What's going on?" Ron asked Hermione

"I haven't a clue."

"I think we're about to find out though." Said Harry.

"Why is it only the two years who have to stay?" Ginny asked as she scooted across the recently vacated bench to sit beside Ron.

"Are we in trouble already?" Ron looked to Harry with a sly grin.

Most of the teachers had left the Great Hall with the students, but Professor McGonagall came back into the room and walked straight back to the head table where Dumbledore waited.

"What's McGonagall carrying?" whispered Ginny.

Professor McGonagall placed a large book on a table and said,

"This is the Book of Belonging. It will place each of you in a pair with another student. You and your partner will be working together for the year."

Deliberately she cleared her throat and the surprised whispers died away almost instantly.

"You will be placed into three classes and you will have to complete tasks in each of them. At the end of the year, if your results are acceptable, they will be submitted for N.E.W.T examinations"

This statement was met with total astonishment.

"B-But I'm not _ready_." Hermione whispered more to herself than anything.

"None of us are." Harry responded while his mind reeled.

"'S all right for us; Ginny's a whole year younger." Ron nodded to his sister, who had turned a startling shade of white.

"This is not an idle decision." Professor Dumbledore calmed the crowd. "In times such as these it is important that you are able to defend yourselves. It seems that the fastest way to help you is to have each of you play to your strengths and so we will narrow your focus here at school."

"But, sir, why are we working in pairs?" One of the Slytherin girls shouted, though Harry couldn't tell who it had been.

"A little teamwork has never been a bad thing, Miss Bulstrode." Dumbledore explained with a kind smile which fooled no one into believing it was his only reason.

The students were cut off from their thoughts as they were called up to the stage one by one to sign their name into the book. Each person looked shocked at what they saw but most reactions had settles into happiness or satisfaction by the time the students left the hall.

When Harry was called, his insides filled with dread, _what if I get placed with Malfoy!_

Harry opened the ancient purple book with the words 'The Book of Belonging' on its cover in faded lettering and signed the first page.

'**Harry Potter'** came the message written in purple ink. Harry had a fleeting image of Riddle's diary and he became uncertain of the book. He was about to look for Professor Dumbledore's encouragement when the writing appeared again,

'**Do not be afraid. I have been on the earth for many a year and have yet to harm anyone.'**

_I still don't know if it's a good idea to trust –_

'**Look to your Headmaster, he's waiting for your glance.'** The book told him.

Harry smiled at the book then grinned at it as Professor Dumbledore chuckled and waved for Harry to continue.

'**Wonderful.' **

'**Sorry about that.'** Harry wrote.

' **No, no, you can't be too careful. Anyway, you will be learning charms transfiguration and defence, and, you shall work with Ginny Weasley. She is perfectly suited to you ... she will make you happy if you allow it.'**

In all honestly, Harry had no idea what to write to that. He had to admit part of him was excited: he definitely wanted to spend more time with Ginny this hear. He needed to figure out if his feeling for her were returned. **'Oh, err... thank you.'**

Harry placed his quill back onto the page and watched his conversation disappear. He took a moment to smile at Ginny: if he was worried about the book then she must have been terrified. He hoped she understood what he meant.

He left the Great Hall and lingered with the students who had already been paired in the Entrance Hall. Those who had met their partners were dispersing, but there was quite a crowd waiting still.

Five minutes later Ginny rushed out of the hall beaming. Harry pulled her into a hug, which lasted a beat longer than a "friendly" hug should, he didn't really think about it, he was simply excited.

"So, you don't mind?" Ginny asked him.

"Well, I could have done worse," He spoke with mock seriousness. "You, on the other hand, have the most awesome partner possible!... hey!"

Ginny had dissolved into laughter, and Harry grinned too, he had been doing that a lot more since he left the Dursleys'.

"Will Ron and Hermione be long?" Harry looked back towards the doors.

Ginny opened her mouth to answer when Ron and Hermione appeared.

"Hi!" Hermione held Ron's hand as they dashed over to Harry and Ginny.

"You two are together?" Harry asked, glad that his friends were so happy.

"In so many ways." Ron sighed with a rather lecherous smile which earned him a smack on the arm from his girlfriend.

"You are as well?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," Ginny explained, looking suddenly nervous, "Is that okay?"

"Hey, better you than Percy!" Ron assured his sister: there were far more annoying siblings he might have had to work with.

"But, your trio..." Ginny persisted.

"I don't mind." Harry met her eyes without a moment of regret as he spoke. "It'll be nice to have you with us."

"It will," Hermione too seemed strangely happy with the arrangement and even Ron was nodding eagerly when in previous years, having his sister around was probably the last thing he would have wanted.

"Thank you." Ginny followed the group as they made their way to the tower. It didn't occur to her to ask after her friends, but then none were in sight and Luna had definitely been called a long time before Harry, so Ginny went happily and distantly hoped Luna was happy too.

The walk to the tower went quickly and the two pairs of students were very happy to find they have been placed in the same three classes. The four were a little surprised to find the common room empty, but it was later than they had realised.

"Well, see you tomorrow?" Ron spoke around a yawn.

"Sounds good," Harry agreed as he stretched and turned to follow Ron to the Sixth Year Boys' dormitory.

"Hold on." Hermione pondered a doorway set into the back of the Girls' staircase. Rather than following the stairs, it was immediately on the left next to the path she would have automatically taken.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked, turning back.

"Nothing, this... it has our names on it." Hermione nodded to an envelope pinned to the door.

"Harry?" Ginny asked as he crossed to the door and opened the envelope.

"It says that 'due to uneven numbers' we have new rooms." He frowned.

"Uneven?" Hermione reached for the letter. "They were never uneven before."

"Maybe it's a gift?" Ron wondered. "Or a reward for something?"

"But then Dumbledore would have said that, don't you think?" Ginny asked as she peered around Hermione to see the writing.

"Dumbledore has his reasons." Harry hoped that was true, at least. "It's probably something he'll explain eventually."

"Yeah, he is barmy like that." Ron spoke fondly of his mentor.

"Well... shall we?" Hermione asked with a hand on the door.

"Definitely!" Ron and Harry grinned.

They went through the first oak door and followed a corridor until they came to two doors Predictably one bore a note saying "Harry Potter and Ron Weasley" and the other "Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley."

They went into the boys' room first and saw that it was the same size as their dormitories but without the other beds.

"Do you think we'll need so much space?" Harry asked Hermione.

"I can't imagine why..." She shrugged as they explored the room.

The walls and carpet were Gryffindor red and there was a golden rug in the centre of the room. Each four-poster bed was identical to their old ones and there were two bedside tables, chests of draws and a desks.

A stunned "wow" seemed all anyone could manage as they walked through a side door into a common room decorated in sky blue with lilac sofas and curtains complete with a fire, bookcase and large table. Yet another door, this one next to the bookcase, led to a bathroom similar in style to the prefects' bathroom but on a much smaller scale.

Walking back to the sofas in silence, Ginny pointed to the last un-explored door and found that it connected back to the girls' room, which was identical to the boys.

"I think," said Harry, "our Headmaster must think we'll be having an interesting year."

"It... it does look that way." Ron nodded, still stunned.

"It's... it's just so.." added Ginny

Hermione laughed. "It's like winning the equivalent of the Hogwarts lottery! But... I wish I knew why we won."


	4. Assignments

Hi again!

Varsitycheerleader - I am a huge fan of fluff and there will be lots in the story!

Chicanosurfer - Are you a mind reader? Harry will be learning sword fighting but not until later.

Thank you for reviewing!

The next morning, Hermione was the first one awake and she spent her earliest moments of the day waiting for their new rooms to dissolve and reality to re-assert itself. It took a while for her to realise that the rooms had not been part of her dream at all and she couldn't help but smile.

The group made their way to breakfast and sat with the other Gryffindor students who had been placed into pairs. Lavender and Parvati were gossiping happily on one side of the group while Neville and Dean were looking slightly apprehensive as they eyed their class schedule on the other side.

"What do we have first?" Harry asked with a bleary look at his timetable.

"We're all in Charms this morning." Hermione explained as she lent over to check the schedule Ginny held.

"We'd best get going, it's a bloody long walk." Ron mumbled around his last piece of bacon and Harry nodded as he stood.

"There's got to be a shorter way!" Ginny gasped as she clutched at the stitch in her side. Thanks to a non-cooperative staircase, they were late and had taken the last four hallways at a run.

"Sure, but... how do you bribe _stairs_?" Ron panted.

Once they had their breath back, the four students entered the classroom to find it newly decorated in a cheerful mint green that suited professor Flitwick's personality. The room was full of two-person desks, so Ron sat with Hermione and Harry sat with Ginny.

"Hello class!" Professor Flitwick greeted them all cheerily.

"Good morning professor!" They chanted in return. It was a habit ingrained in them from childhood and even though they were too old for it really, it made their Professor smile.

"It is lovely to see so many of you taking charms! I must say that I never thought I would be teaching ten pairs." He paused to let his bag float onto the desk as he took his seat. "Now with the Headmaster's plan for the year being... 'don't die', your charms assignment will be to research an appointed spell and to perform it if possible."

The class collectively let out a breath.

Ron shot a hopeful look at Harry and Ginny, which they returned wholeheartedly.

"I will call one person from each pair to the front of the class" Flitwick continued as he placed the increasingly familiar ancient purple book onto the front desk, "you will then sign your name at the top of the book and then that of your partner. The Book of Belonging will then tell you what you must do in order to complete your task, good luck!"

"Sir, why is the Book in use so much this year?" Hermione asked after she was sure Prifessor Flitwick had finished his explination.

"Well, it does seem to be Professor Dumbledore's favourite toy, doesn't it? I believe that one of the properties of this book is that it cannot be used at any time; it chooses to awaken itself and can then be used for any kind of matchmaking advice." The tiny professor winked.

"I didn't actually mean-" Hermione began as she blushed.

"Of course not, but Miss Granger the principle is accurate: the book does indeed 'match' things. Yesterday it matched pupils whose skills are compatible and today it will match areas of research to the pupils who may benefit from the knowledge."

"Now, let's make a start! Laura?"

"Yes Professor," a blonde girl answered. Harry vaguely recognised her and realised that she was a Hufflepuff, and that was why it took him a moment to recall her face, she must have been paired with a Gryffindor student to be in this class. Harry had simply assumed the pairs had been created within the houses but apparently not.

"If you would be so kind as to go first?"

Laura walked, a little hesitantly, to the book then wrote in it. After a few seconds, she looked up.

"The book says," at this she went white, "we have to research the I- Imperious Curse."

The class looked shocked but Flitwick smiled kindly at the girl,

"You are all old enough and advanced enough to cope with whatever the book tells you to research. Try not to be shocked by your assignments, I'm sure you will all do fine. Next please!"

And so the class continued with each pair being set a spell then leaving the room for the library. At last only Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny were left.

"And who is next?" Professor Flitwick asked.

"Do you mind if we go?" Ron asked Harry.

"No, not at all."

Hermione beamed at him; she had been dancing in her seat for the last half an hour as the other pairs were given a head start against her.

Hermione rose and signed the book with her name and Ron's.

'**Well, hello again!'** came the book's response.

'**I trust you are working admirably with Mr Weasley?'**

'**Yes, thank you.'** she wrote, smiling a little wider now.

'**Good! Your futures are interwoven; you should not let him stray from you. As for the more pressing matter, I believe you would do well to investigate the fidelius charm.'**

Harmonie's eyes sparked with interest and Ron let out a whimper

"It's going to be bloody impossible, I can tell," he moaned causing Harry and Ginny to giggle. They caught each other's eyes and blushed when neither could think of anything to say. Breaking their eye contact they each looked back at Hermione and sighed at themselves.

"We've been assigned the Fidelius Charm." Hermione explained, already glowing with curiosity. Ron, on the other hand, looked feint at this announcement

"Wonderful, Miss Granger and Mister Weasley. Please ask me if you are stuck, I'm a dab hand with that particular charm, if I do say so myself."

"T-Thanks." Ron stammered as Hermione linked her arm through his with wicked glee in her eyes.

"Don't worry Ron, dear, we only need to write ten scrolls." She sauntered off, dragging him with her until the meaning of her words seemed to make it through to him.

"Oh wonderful! we'll be done by lunch!" Ron said with so much sarcasm that even Hermione laughed.

"Glad to see you so enthusiastic," Hermione informed him with deep affection.

"Sure, sure... so, Library?" Ron sighed and waved hopelessly at Ginny and Harry before they opened the door to the hallway.

After they left, Ginny was called to the front

'**Last but not least, Ginny?' **The book formed words before she had written her name: it must have known who was in the class.

'**I hope not'**

'**I know not, you will never be "least"'**

Ginny smiled and Harry winked at her from across the room.

**"He has grown to see you for who you are Ginny, you must realize that. Your love will be returned."**

Ginny positively glowed with happiness at this statement.

**"I want you and Harry to investigate the "Iunctura Anima" charm. It is very rare so you need only write two scrolls of parchment but you must perform the spell if the opportunity presents itself. Happy hunting!"**

Professor Flitwick's smile had been a little more forced when he had heard the name of the spell they were researching.

"I have to say, it isn't one I'm _overly _familiar with... but I'm sure you'll do admirably." He had tried to assure them.

When she crossed the room to where he waited, Harry took her hand without thinking after he had passed Ginny her bags. It was as they walked to defence and she told him what the book said.

"It doesn't sound too bad," she said hopefully,

"Yeah, but the "happy hunting"? Do you think it's trying say that we'll have a job finding information?" Harry asked as they rounded the last corner before the Defence classroom.

"That's what I was thinking." Ginny admitted. For a moment she seemed to loose her optimism, buts he squared her shoulders and turned back to harry, "Oh well, we'll manage!"

Seeing her throw herself into the challenge made harry all the more determined not to let her down: they would do this. Together. The Book had paired them for a reason, after all.

They arrived at defence early and were pleasantly surprised to see that Professor Flitwick had beaten them there.

"Magic," He assured them as they looked questioningly at him.

"Before we begin, many of you are aware of the rise in Deatheater activity. I have been asked by the Ministry of Magic to report to you all that Lord Voldemort has indeed returned, but that there is no cause for concern."

Professor Flitwick let the class control their outrage.

"The same press release again?" Someone sighed.

"Will Fudge _ever_ say anything helpful?" Dean Thomas wanted to know.

"they sent that news every week over the summer." Neville sighed and Ron and Ginny both nodded; all wizarding residences had received the news.

"Naturally I disagree, but what do I know; I'm just a teacher." Professor Flitwick told them and then began the lecture.

Harry felt the stab of guilt for his participation, however unwilling, in Voldemort's return, then the overwhelming sadness for all the lives lost including that of Sirius. Again he couldn't stop the flow of his thoughts... from the Ministry to Voldemort to Sirius and the Veil...

He was pulled out of his desperate thoughts by Ginny's hand on his arm and her whisper of:

"That sounds fun, finding an animal!"

"Sorry, what did you say Gin?" he blinked and her concerned face came into focus before him. Her eyes were such a beautiful shade of brown.

She smiled at the use of her nickname then said;

"There's a list of our names at the front. All we do is find our name and there is an animal written next to it, we have to research the animal and if possible, find it for the project."

"Oh? So... it's not the Curses that we're working on? That's what they said at the feast, wasn't it?" Harry pushed his glasses a little higher up the bridge of his nose.

"Honestly, Harry, did you fall asleep?" Hermione chastised lightly. "Our lessons will be on the curses and the homework is about animals: that will be the topic after the work on Dark Cruses and Enchantments is complete."

"Still... working on a whole essay without a class to help?" Ron sighed. "It sounds..."

Hermione glared at him.

"Actually yeah, that does sound like fun!" Ron amended hastily. The group smiled and went to the front of the classroom to see the animals they were meant to research.

The list read:

Ron Weasley - phoenix

Hermione Granger - black fox

Ginny Weasley - unicorn

Harry Potter - golden gryffin

"That's one good thing," Ron sighed after the end of the class.

"Oh?" Harry turned to his red-haired friend as the girls fell in step behind them.

"Well, at least I know where to find a phoenix."

"Fawks." Harry grinned as he realised. "You know what I don't understand? What is a Black Fox? I haven't heard of them."

"Beats me." Ron shrugged.

"Shockingly, it's a fox" Hermione called from behind them.

"That makes sense." Ron smiled.

"And I'm guessing it's black?" Harry asked with false innocence.

"Good guess. It's coat is black apart from the tip of its tails and its eyes." Hermione explained.

"Tails? Plural?" Ginny asked.

"I think so." Hermione blinked and they could almost see her reading the book in her mind's eye.

"Oh wait, I think I do remember something... wasn't there that story ... don't the foxes control the winds? So it's one tail for each wind?" Ginny tried to remember the stories her mum used to tell her before bed.

"Maybe?" Ron thought for a moment. "That does ring a bell."

"What worried me is that we have to try and get close to these animals, when they won't be used to people like Fawks is." Hermione looked at harry with mischief clear in her eyes, it seemed that she was thinking along the same lines as him.

"Spotted that, did you?" She grinned.

"You have a way around the problem?" Ginny asked.

"Well..." It took a lot of Harry's concentration not to let his voice waver as he continued. "Taking a lesson from Prongs and Padfoot when dealing with Moony..." He trailed off as Ron caught on and laughed.

"Really? You think we can?"

"I've been thinking the same thing," Hermione nodded, just as thrilled as the boys were with the idea. "Ginny, as far as I can tell, there's only one way we can do it safely: we have to become animagi."


	5. Library

Hello!

I feel that I should tell you that I don't really like this chapter as much as the others. So I'm sorry if it's worse than them.

Rhyanna - thanks for the review! Please keep reading!

Varcitycheerleader - thanks for the review! Don't worry the story isn't all fluff

Next tangent - thanks for the review! Honestly, I don't think anyone could guess everything that's going to happen, because this fic is everything I always wanted to happen.

Chicanosurfer - thanks for the review! I'm glad you like the ideas I'm using but you'll have to wait a few chapters before you find out about the animagi.

Please keep reviewing

. . .

After almost two weeks of school, there had still been no mention of the Transfiguration assignment and the lessons were spent doing research on their Charms project. It was only natural that the students would have asked any other teacher by now, but with Professor McGonagall you didn't often ask a question unless she gave the opportunity. Hermione had asked, early on in the lessons, how soon she ought to begin preparing for the Transfiguration assignment. Professor McGonagall had paused and turned to the class as a whole to explain that for now they must focus on their other projects: the ones which had already been set. For Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny that meant the Charms project and their work for Defence.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were spending all of their time out of classes in the library, reading book after book. What surprised Harry most was how much time Ron spent in the library without complaint. He remembered the words of his best friends on the train to school, but seeing that willingness to learn in action was another thing entirely. It made Harry reach for book as well and made him want to be worthy of the work Ron and Hermione were putting in.

"Harry?" Ginny whispered from his side. "You've been looking at that page for ten minutes... did you find something?"

Harry flinched and looked at the clock: she was right. "Er, no, sorry."

"Is everything okay?" Ginny looked nervous as she inched slightly closer, heeding the warning glance from Madam Pince as the Library's most threatening contents stalked past the edge of their table.

"I'm distracted, I suppose, but it isn't ... I'm not..." Harry trailed off, unsure of how to end either sentence.

"You don't have to tell me," Ginny backtracked, "It was nosey of me to ask."

For a while Harry watched her go back to her books. Ginny was the one who had inspired his work ethic of late. When she was challenged or hit a setback, she rallied and attacked the problem with twice the ferocity of before.

"It's the others." This time Harry was the one who moved his chair. He came over to Ginny and whispered to her.

"Oh?" She leaned to check that Madam Pince was out of sight.

"They're working so hard, even Ron, no... especially Ron and I don't want them to waste so much effort. I don't want to let them down." Harry surprised himself with how quickly the words tumbled from him.

"Why would you-?" Ginny turned, her hair catching the candlelight, "Oh, it's for you? They working this hard to help you with something?"

"They are but the 'something' is surviving." Harry shook his head. Now that he had started to tell someone what he was thinking, he couldn't seem to stop. It didn't worry him at all to tell Ginny, he knew she wouldn't breathe a word of it to anyone. He couldn't explain how he knew he could trust her, but he felt it. "I don't know what we'll need to know or do and... I don't want to hold them back."

"Then you won't. Think about it, if you're worrying over this then you're already putting more effort in. We've been spending forever here on our class work and as for our _other_ project... well, that isn't ready to be worked on." Ginny tried to lift his mood.

"I want them to know I'm taking this seriously too." He sighed.

"They can tell." Ginny assured him without having to think of a reason why; she'd already seen it. "Haven't you seen the look on Hermione's face every time she sees you here? If she walks through the door and you're already here, she just about glows. Ron too, come to think of it."

"They do?" Harry paused to ask her; "You aren't just making this up, are you?"

"No. They care about you. I... well, so do I." She looked down and twisted her hands in her lap. "I'm working hard too."

"Ginny..."

"I'm not asking for anything; I know we've been thrown together a lot this year, but I want to be here for you, for however much you need." Ginny closed her eyes for a moment as she spoke. She was clearly embarrassed but she must have wanted him to hear this. "You have Ron and Hermione first and I understand that. At the same time, whatever you need help with I can do it. I won't ask questions, not if - "

Harry held a finger to his lips and Ginny obediently fell silent.

"Thank you." It was a little awkward as they were sitting side by side, but Harry drew her into a hug. "I don't want you to have to do anything, but the fact that you care ... the fact that you'd offer..."

"You saved my life Harry. You killed a basilisk for me. I mean, they say you would have done it for anyone - " She spoke against his shoulder.

"They don't know that." Harry pilled away so that he could look at her; her emotions were so wonderfully clear in her eyes. "I... back then you were Ron's sister and there was no way we were leaving you there. You should have seen him, he was so scared for you that he was brilliant."

"You were brilliant." Ginny blushed.

"I was scared, Gin, I was really _really_ scared." He was glad to finally tell her this truth. He wasn't some hero, he was just doing the best he could.

"Then it's my turn to be scared and help you." She promised.

. . .

"That's it!" said Ron on Saturday as he threw a book on the table that the four Gryffindor students had been sharing. "No more research for today!"

He bounced around their secluded corner of the vast library almost dancing with joy.

"I have read no less than thirty seven books about the bloody Fidelius Charm. Trust me that's more than you could ever want to know! And I'm finally finished!"

"At a guess Gin, I'd have to say that Ron and Hermione have finished." Harry deadpanned.

"You know what, I'd have to agree Harry."

She shot him a smile, which he returned and they stared into each other's eyes for just a fraction of a second longer than they should.

At the same instant Harry was mentally yelling at himself. _What are you doing? She deserves someone better than you, someone who will be able to stay with her forever, not some boy who has to leave her to fight Voldemort!_

Their eyes clouded with uncertainty and they looked away.

Ron had calmed down now but remained oblivious to their actions.

"Thank God I've finished that essay. Now all we have to do is learn the charm."

"Ron, you say that like it's the easy part." Harry teased lightly.

"It's alright for you Ron, at least there are books on your charm, we still have nothing!" Ginny moaned to her brother.

"There must be something?" Ron asked.

"Not even a mention," said Harry, "even Madame Pince couldn't find anything. The Book wasn't joking about hunting for the information."

"We're doomed to living in the library forever!" after she said this, Ginny's head flopped onto the book in front of her in defeat.

"Well, on that happy note I'll be going to find Hermione. Bye Harry, bye Ginny"

. . .

Later that night the group headed into the entrance hall after they had eaten.

"I think I'm going to go for a walk; I'm not tired yet. Do you want to come?" Harry asked as he looked at the others

"Sure! I'd love to," replied Ginny.

Ron caught Hermione's eye.

"It's so cold outside, Hermione and I are going to go wait in the common room, you don't mind do you?"

"Not at all Ron" said Harry trying to stifle his laughter, _possibly the worst excuse ever,_ he thought, _but they've been working so much they probably haven't spent any time together lately._

Harry and Ginny had been walking around the lake for about an hour talking about their work and Ron and Hermione and anything else they came up with, when Harry saw two thestrals coming towards them.

"You know, they really are quite beautiful, in a... powerful killer sort of way." Ginny said without really thinking.

"Yeah" he agreed, "They really are - hang on, you can see them?"

"Yep!" she smiled "I found a spell in one of those books we read."

"Wow, I wonder if Hagrid knows? All the students could see them that way."

"Maybe he doesn't want to scare them?" Ginny asked though neither teen really thought that was the case.

They stopped talking as the thestrals came close enough to be stroked. The creatures leaned in to their touch and seamed to completely love all of the attention.

"They mustn't get people to pet them often." Harry smiled at the equine wonder in front of him.

"Except for Luna, I guess?" Ginny commented. "Maybe they get itchy?"

Harry smiled at the thought.

After a few minutes, the thestrals pulled away and walked over to a tree stump. They looked expectantly at Harry and Ginny.

"It almost looks like they want us to ride them." Harry said.

"Maybe it's their way of saying thank you." She said as they walked over to the silky black thestrals.

"Do you know how to ride a horse?" Harry asked. "They closest I've come was Buckbeak. A Hippogriff."

"Oh, well... no... but how hard can it be? They're magical creatures so they know what they doing. They did when we went to the... last time." Ginny hastily amended the end of her sentence with a wince.

"I... yeah." Harry focussed on the silky black coat of the thestral. "Last time we were safe while we flew." He fought back memories. "This time, do you think we can stay at the school?" He asked 'his' thestral and hoped it would understand.

A few moments later, when the students were comfortable astride their mounts, they took to the air. The view of the castle was breathtaking; they circled the grounds, gliding over the moonlit lake and the dark forest for well over an hour before coming in to land.

"She looks even more beautiful in moonlight." Harry mused

Ginny hugged their thestrals and both Gryffindors thanked them sincerely, just in case the winged horses could understand that too.

"Harry, that was the most wonderful night of my life" Ginny said once they were back in the blue common room. "Thank you" she hugged him then smiled and went to bed, hope springing to life in her,

"Perhaps the book was right about us?" she said to no one in particular.


	6. Fate’s a bitch

Hello!

Chicanosurfer - I understand your feelings on my skipping a few weeks in the story, but nothing happened in that time, so, it seamed pointless to write about them. Thanks for the review

Crystaline Snape - its nice to get a new reviewer! You will find out where the amulets are, but not for a while yet. Thanks for the review

Ginny Weasley fan - again, its nice to get a new reviewer! Thanks for the review I'm glad you like my fic. I like your dog idea! You will find out about the animagus forms in chapter 8 (I think)

Because people have been asking for a longer chapter, here it is!

(You have to understand that the first chapters are just short. That's the way they're written but they will get longer I promise!)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The next morning was a Sunday, so while Ron and Harry decided to spend their day flying, Ginny and Hermione had the entire private common room to themselves. Ginny had debating joining the boys, considering it was autumn it was sunnier than she had expected, but that would have left Hermione alone and so Ginny stayed.

By half past eleven, Ginny and Hermione had arranged all the books on the Animagus Transformation that they had gathered on the table between their sofas. They had been checking out the books one by one in the hope that no one would be watching too closely.

"Do you think we have enough now?" Ginny asked as she glanced over the titles.

"I think so. It's already obvious that we're researching the transformation if anyone looks at the library records." Hermione nibbled on her quill as she thought.

"True, but there isn't much we can do to change that." Ginny sighed.

"And, I suppose, the teachers can't be too upset when they provide the books in the first place." Hermione mused.

"Besides, I bet Dumbledore is proud every time students manage it." Ginny giggled to herself; Ron had explained that theory to her a few nights before.

Hermione grinned down at the page before her: she liked Ginny's ability to twist logic in her favour. It was entirely wrong, as logic went, but it was kind all the same.

They leafed through the books trying to find a spell to tell them what (assuming they had the potential) their animagus form would be. As they worked, Hermione was telling Ginny about the night she has shared with Ron.

"It was so romantic!" She said, her face breaking into a smile. "I don't mean to be offensive but... I never really thought your brother was capable of romance, but when we came up to the common room, there were roses for me on the table and... well, there wasn't even an occasion. He really surprised me."

"It sounds lovely" Ginny said absently, her mind was still on the thestral ride she had enjoyed with Harry.

"How was your walk?" asked Hermione a shrewd look on her face. She had seen more than Harry knew in his letters that summer.

"It was ... wonderful." Ginny replied before she caught herself.

"What happened?" Hermione's eyes sparked with interest as she saw the love-struck grin Ginny couldn't fight.

Ginny mentally sighed to herself, _What happened to 'I won't tell anyone until I've figured out how I feel'?_

"Last night, Harry and I were walking around the lake when we saw a pair of thestrals. We were stroking them for a while then they let us ride them. We were a bit nervous they might take us somewhere, but they flew around the grounds in circles for us. It was amazing."

Hermione simply looked at the redhead: no words were needed. Ginny hadn't given an ounce of her true feelings with that explanation. Ginny rubbed her eyes and began again.

"I know I'm probably wrong, but, the way Harry was acting, I think he likes me. I mean, we talked for hours while we walked around the grounds, and that was before we even saw the thestrals. He seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say! All summer I tried to stop myself from imagining things... well, that _feelings_ were there just because I wanted them to be. Then a night like that and ... maybe he does think that way? The thestrals were amazing, they were, but Harry was better even when we were talking about nothing at all. You know, it could just be me, but the way he looks at makes me shiver."

"You really love him, don't you." It wasn't a question

"Yes" Ginny said in a small voice

"I think he's in love with you too"

"Really? You don't think I'm insane?"

"No Ginny, I don't. But..." There was so much advice Hermione wanted to give: _don't rush things, let Harry realise it himself, you need to take care of him, you need to be sure because Harry won't look back once he knows you love him too._ In the end she knew that this had to happen without interference. If Harry and Ginny could find each other then they would need to do so alone. Hermione wanted every happiness for Harry; he was closer than family, their connection was absolute. If not for Ron, Hermione might not have seen the difference in the way she loved her two boys. Now she was very glad she could.

"We do have to find that spell." Hermione finished her sentence after a lot of thought.

"Oh! I almost forgot" Ginny smiled at her own stupidity and went back to work.

It was almost half an hour later when Ginny broke the silence again.

"Hey, Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"How did it happen, with you and Ron?"

"Oh, well... he kissed me."

"That's all?"

"That's all there was to it, we were talking just before midnight. We were the last two awake at the time and I was leaning back against the wall and he was close to me. I didn't really notice until he got even closer. I stopped talking as he moved and he gave me plenty of time to say anything... and then he kissed me. He was so... so soft and I think he was just as surprised as I was... but one kiss and it changed everything." Hermione didn't mention their second or third kisses which had happened almost instantly after the first and had been decidedly less 'gentle' and far more desperate as the truth of their feelings broke over the pair. She didn't think Ginny ever wanted to hear about her brother in that kind of kiss.

. . .

The next day at breakfast, Dumbledore announced that there was going to be a costume ball on Halloween. Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny were ecstatic; they needed something to look forward to! Clearly, as a cheer arose from the tables surrounding them, they weren't the only ones feeling that way.

"Brilliant!" Shamus enthused.

"Perfect!" Parvati grinned next to him. "We could use some cheering up!"

There was however the general feeling that there was more to this ball than they were being told, as Hermione pointed out,

"If they were going to give us a costume ball, they might have given us warning over the summer so that we could buy a costume."

"You're right." said Harry "Do you think we have to make something?"

"Transfigure," Hermione nodded, "most likely."

Their suspicions were confirmed as they sat in Transfiguration soon after the announcement and Professor McGonagall said,

"We have worked on the Charms assignments for long enough, the time had finally come to start your Transfiguration work. As you know, this year, we will be having a Christmas ball. Your task is simple, you must design and transfigure your partner's costume. You will each be provided with these to use as the starting point of your costumes." She held up plain cotton shirts and trousers. "You may use your class time to research spells."

So Ginny, Harry, Ron and Hermione were sat, again, at their secluded table of the library surrounded by books.

"You know," said Ron, "it doesn't sound too bad."

"Yeah, it does sound fun, making a costume for Ginny." Said Harry

"Well, it might be hard to actually transfigure the cotton into a costume, but the designing is definitely fun." Ginny agreed.

"Creating so many different colours and textures all from the same cotton... it'll be a challenge!" Hermione licked her lips as she looked at the work before her. Ron was looking distinctly dreamy-eyes at the intensity of her expression.

Hermione turned to him and Ron blushed to the tips of his ears.

"Before we start, Ron, I just wanted to ask for some ground rules about the costume?

"What did you have in mind?" he asked.

"Well my costume would be nice if it was a bit ladylike, no... no Moaning Myrtle outfits please?"

"But that was my best idea! Myrtle is a girl Hermione you can't complain!" Ron joked.

"I know, but I'm serious, ok?" Hermione smiled.

"Its fine 'Mione, ill keep an eye on him" said Harry.

"Good because I'm sure Ron's 'Professor Snape' outfit would be a triumph." Hermione threatened with an even wider smile.

"Right!" Ron chocked. "Ladylike. Got it!"

That night, while the girls were at a "sleepover" in the sixth year dorm (of which Ginny was an honorary member), or more accurately the girls of Gryffindor had spent so much time talking excitedly about the costumes that the boys had given one firm nod to each other and run for the privacy of the common room. An hour later Ron and Harry were sat by the fire in their private common room and still talking about the assignment.

"I have no clue what to make!" Ron moaned, "it's impossible!"

"I'm sure it's not that bad?" Though Harry was only just starting to pull his ideas together.

"It is though. I haven't got anything. I want it to be something she likes, not something I think she likes. Does that make sense?" Ron sighed.

"What about a character from a book? 'Mione will love that"

"Yeah, I thought of that," Harry was surprised and proud that the thought had already occurred to Ron. "But where can I find-" the trailed off as inspiration struck and he dashed into Hermione's room.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Harry called after him.

Ron emerged holding a book

"She is always reading this." He said triumphantly. "I can make a costume from this book! "Lioness Rampant" it doesn't sound so bad, does it?"

"No, but it says its book four of a quartet, you better read them all"

"Nah, I'll just stick to the parts with the wavy pages."

"... what?" Harry blinked in confusion.

"Well, Hermione doesn't fold down pages or anything because she doesn't want to damage the book. But the bits she reads most often, the pages are wavy because she holds them."

"Right... okay." That made absolutely no sense to Harry but he wasn't about to interfere.

Ron grinned at the book in triumph and selected an apparently 'wavy' page. After a few minutes:

"Got it!"

Harry jumped, it had been so quiet.

"Got what?"

"The costume! I'm going to dress in a ball gown, she'll love that, I know it!"

"Well, I'm happy for you."

"Do you know what you're going to dress Ginny as?"

"Yes," Harry replied, "I'm going to give her wings." That's all he would tell Ron.

. . . . . .

It was half way through the Friday morning charms lesson Ginny and Harry spent at their usual library table, while Ron and Hermione were trying to cast their charm outside, when inspiration hit Ginny like something physical.

"Harry!" she hissed across the table "we've been so blind! We're going about this all wrong."

"About what?"

"Finding the book! We've been going through all these dusty books when we know there's nothing there, when we are in completely the wrong _room._" She emphasized the last word, and understanding dawned on Harry.

"Of course, Gin!" He said as he pulled her out of her seat and picked up her bag as well as his own. "You are truly amazing!"

"Oh stop!" she said, blushing. "You'd have figured it our eventually, and we don't know that we will find anything."

With that they ran to the room of requirement and paced up and down the corridor thinking: _We need a book, information, on the iunctura anima charm._

"Cross your fingers?" said Harry a he pushed open the door.

Inside the room, almost everything was pitch black. The only light come from the far side of a room easily three times the size of the Great Hall. They crossed the immense room to find a blue book with bronze numbers written on the front.

"Should we take it?" Ginny asked. The room was making her feel nervous, she couldn't pin down why but she _really_ wanted to leave.

"Yes, we came too far not too." As soon as Harry picked up the book, the room gave a lurch and the stone floor tiles began to drop away.

"Run!" Harry yelled as they flew across the room dodging the ever-widening holes in the floor. Harry didn't want to think about what would happen if they fell in.

When they neared the door, Harry passed Ginny the book and she leapt out of the room back into the castle just before the floor surrounding the door gave way.

"Harry!" She yelled. "Jump, I'll catch you!"

He nodded and backed up. He ran as fast as possible and leapt into the air across the gap. However, as soon as he neared the door, it seemed to move further away.

"No!" Ginny shouted and grabbed his hand as he fell past the door, which was now hanging in the middle of a black void. There was a moment where she thought this was impossible. There was an instant where she thought she might lose Harry forever... and Ginny Weasley refused to lose Harry until he told her that he wanted her to. With strength she didn't think she possessed, Ginny pulled Harry back into the castle.

For a few minutes, all they could do was lie there panting then Harry finally managed to speak.

"Thanks Gin, for a moment, I thought I'd fall"

"I wouldn't have let you."

They smiled to each other and walked back to their private common room, which was thankfully empty and flopped down on a sofa.

"Let's hope the book was worth it" Ginny said

"Let's see." Harry pulled the book towards them and opened the first page, it read,

"Welcome reader but take heed,

For those unworthy, this book's impossible to read.

To find the answers held in its pages,

You must break the code in stages.

From the four founders take your clue,

To break the sequence and find the truth."

The next page read, 33,27,18,36,15,27,16,37 - 37,18,33,31,37

"Wonderful!" said Harry "a code! Just when we thought life couldn't get any better!"

"Well, you know what they say,"

"What?"

"Fate's a bitch"

He couldn't help laughing, "You're not wrong!"


	7. Voco velo Luna

Chicanosurfer - thank you!

Next tangent - thank you for the support! 'Mione isn't me. There's a bit of me in her I suppose, but it's not really on purpose.

Varcitycheerleader - hi again! Don't worry I didn't take out the fluff; I wouldn't do that to you!

Josh Potter - hello! Its nice to get a new reviewer thanks!

Bluebell Flames - thank you so much!

Also, this chapter is dedicated to next tangent for saying my chapters were too short!

. . .

Harry and Ginny spent the better part of a week trying to decipher the code, but because their only clue was the founders, they hadn't gotten very far.

"It doesn't make sense!" Ginny burst out as she sat with Harry, yet again, in the private common room

"What doesn't?" Harry questioned

"The numbers! The only thing we know, but we don't know it, we think it, is that '33,27,18,36,15,27,16,37 - 37,18,33,31,37' Means iunctura anima."

"Well, it's a start." Harry looked down at a page filled with meaningless scribbles. He couldn't shake the feeling that the code itself was a lot easier than they were making it seem.

"Harry, I need more than a start. I need a an end!"

"Don't worry Gin, we will do this, I have faith in you." It was completely true: he had so much faith in her... but it didn't tell him how to solve the code.

They smiled at each other and Harry found himself, once again, sinking into the depths of Ginny's eyes, they began to lean closer to each other, only to jump away in shock as the bell rang to call them to class.

"Gin, I-I-I'm sorry" Harry stuttered as his mind reeled. He hadn't decided to do that, he hadn't even thought of it and he was halfway to kissing her. He needed to do something soon: to do something real and to mean every moment of it. He needed Ginny, he was more and more certain of that, so he had to make her see he wasn't toying with her.

"I didn't mean to... to assume anything, I..." _'You idiot_!' he yelled at himself _'you'll be lucky if she ever speaks to you again_!'

"I – It's the.." Ginny hid her expression behind a curtain of her hair. "We've been in here too long. Come on, we have Transfiguration."

They ran to class and slid into their seats next to Ron and Hermione just before Professor McGonagall arrived.

"Good afternoon class" she greeted them

"I know you are all working hard on the costumes."

There was a murmur of agreement.

"Good! Today we will begin a week long project. Each of you will now say the incantation "voco velo Luna" this will summon the 'veil of the moon.' We are dabbling today with unspecific transfiguration."

Professor McGonagall marched around the classroom, making sure that each pair of students was present and listening.

"The veil, if summoned correctly, will disguise its owner by transfiguring their clothes into ones more suited to their present feelings. You will have no more say over the transformation that that. This magic we use today is remarkably old; a precursor to cloaks of invisibility; cloaks of disguise."

Ron shot a grin over at Harry.

"Each person's cloak is individual and will only work for their owner. Also, the main reason this magic is not in common use is because most of the power lies in elemental magic rather than the kind our society favours. Neither kind is stronger, they simply use different routes to achieve the same end. However. weak elemental magic such as this can be seen through rather easily with the right spells or wards... do not presume you could rob Gringotts simply by wearing a cloak."

There was a ripple of laughter as the class tried to decide of that had been a joke or a genuine warning.

"Once you have succeeded, you and your partner will proceed to the front of the class and take their corresponding backpack. It is a portkey. You will receive further instruction when you arrive at your destination. You may begin!" her tone left no room for questions or argument, so the class began as the required wand movements were drawn on the board at the front of the classroom.

The four looked at each other and shrugged,

"I guess I'll go first then!" said Ron cheerfully

"Voco velo Luna!"

A beautiful midnight blue cloak appeared in front of him. It had a large gold phoenix on the back which made Ron grin: he must have been thinking about Defence.

"Wow." they said as one

"Put it on!" Hermione urged

Ron swung the cloak around him then felt a tingling sensation and removed it. He was now wearing blue jeans, a white FCUK t-shirt and a black leather jacket.

"Excellent Mr Weasley!" said Professor McGonagall as she passed.

"Please, Professor?" Hermione asked in an undertone.

"Miss Granger?" Professor McGonagall paused and cast a severe eye around the rest of the classroom so that they would not be observed.

"Please, is it safe for us to leave the castle?" Hermione realised after a moment that she was on the wrong track and spoke again. "What I mean is, Ma'am, my parents..."

"Ah," Professor McGonagall looked to where Harry and Ginny were pretending to work. "Join us, Mister Potter, if you would?"

"Thanks, Professor." Harry swivelled so that he could see the others.

"And you, Mister and Miss Weasley; there is no point in trying to hide this from you I trust."

"Thanks." Ron blushed.

"Professor Dumbledore has not seen you so far this year, correct?"

"No Ma'am." Harry shook his head. "He hasn't seemed to be here much."

"Indeed not. The headmaster is searching. For what, I cannot imagine." Her words cut off Harry's next question.

"But why do we need to leave the castle?" Harry looked to the row of backpacks.

"I suspect that the Headmaster wishes to alter the warding and protection which surrounds several of the dormitories and the school in general. The easiest way to do this is with an empty castle."

"So no other magic can interfere?" Hermione asked.

"Indeed." Professor McGonagall's expression softened into a smile. "Naturally removing the younger years is out of the question. However the 5th and 6th years have been granted this... holiday, of sorts, and the 7th years will be removed for Hogsmede very soon."

"Then the best thing we can do is just... go?" Harry asked, with a rapidly widening grin.

"Yes, Mister Potter, I believe that is true." With that, Professor McGonagall moved away from the group and tried to help the next pair.

"Well..." Hermione didn't seem to have an ending for her sentence.

"Now you guys try!" said Ron. "If this helps Dumbledore, and gets us a weekend outside the castle, I'm all for it!"

"Voco velo Luna!" said the three voices.

Swiftly a red cloak with the images of a black fox appeared next to Hermione and two black cloaks appeared, one next to Harry, one next to Ginny. Harry's cloak had a golden gryffin embroidered in gold on the back and Ginny's had a winged unicorn eerily similar to the one engraved on her necklace.

The three put on their cloaks for a second then re-appeared.

Hermione was wearing blue low-rise jeans and a sky blue shirt: dressed for muggle London rather than Diagon Alley.

Harry had on black jeans and a black t-shirt, which made his eyes look as if they were glowing. On the front of his t-shirt it said: Audaces fortuna audivit!

This caused them to laugh, with the amount of research the group had been conducting, they all had a working knowledge of Latin (thanks to several handy translation spells.) The top said "fortune favours the bold" and that most definitely applied to Harry.

Ginny also wore a black t-shirt but her low-rise jeans were blue. The shirt said

"Fortitudine vincimus!" - by endurance we conquer.

This got a laugh from them all and a slight blush from Harry. Though he wasn't sure the top did relate to her feelings for him; he hoped it might.

The four walked up to the front of the class and glanced at the others, none of whom had managed to summon the veil. They shrugged and reached for their packs.

"Are you okay?" Ginny whispered as Ron and Hermione were whisked away.

"Me?" Harry's voice climbed an octave of its own accord as he looked to the backpack.

"Portkey." She whispered, turning so that she faced the class and Harry was hidden.

"I'm..." He trailed off. He was afraid. His hands shook but he knew this Portkey couldn't be safer.

"Wands out, then? Just... in case." Ginny asked, looking into Harry's eyes.

"Thank you." Harry tightened his grip on his wand and reached for the backpack at the same instant Ginny reached for hers. It was only at the last moment that he realised he wished he's reached for Ginny instead: then they would have definitely arrived together and she wouldn't have been exposed.

As they moved, Harry felt the tug behind his navel and was pulled away from Hogwarts.

. . .

When Ginny felt her feet hit the ground, she looked around and her mouth fell open. She lowered her wand to her side. There were two huge four-poster beds hung with cream and red silk sheets as well as two dressers, chests of draws and wardrobes. There was a bathroom leading off the bedroom, which (she could see through the open door) contained in addition to the toilet and washbasin, a large bath, Jacuzzi and shower. There were fluffy cream towels and the marble dressing table was covered in different soaps, shampoos, creams, perfumes and things Ginny couldn't even name!

In the instant it took her to notice all of this, Harry staggered into existence next to her. He spun on the balls of his feet; braced for an attack which didn't come.

Ginny froze until he blinked, blinked again, and then stood tall to look around the wonderful room.

Harry turned to Ginny beaming and for a moment neither of them could speak.

"This is fantastic!" Harry breathed. "Where are we?"

"It's incredible! And I have no idea." She explained as she tucked her wand into a pocket.

"It's just so...so..." Harry laughed and sat on the edge of one of the beds, more because he had lost the feeling in his legs than because he decided to sit down.

Ginny laughed and pulled him into a hug: she was too excited to think of anything else. Neither realised, as they relaxed against each other that they had stayed in place for almost a minute. Neither wanted to move, they were simply content with the closeness.

They were pulled apart by a scream of excitement coming from the other side of a second door.

"What was-?" Ginny pulled away.

"Don't know." Harry was standing and his wand was back in his hand faster than Ginny could follow.

Harry padded silently across the room, Ginny ghosting along at his side so quietly that even Harry seemed surprised to find her there when he turned.

Harry reached the door and at Ginny's nod, after she had drawn her wand again, they pulled it open to reveal an incredibly happy Ron and Hermione.

"Hi!" The group said at once, with varying amounts of bemusement.

"Have you seen the bathrooms?" Ginny broke the silence as she hid her wand, noticing that Harry had already hidden his own.

"I know! I almost got lost in there!" Hermione smiled, watching the panic and adrenaline recede from Harry's eyes.

"But why are we here? Do you think this is the right place?" questioned Ron.

"Yes, I'm sure it is; look." Harry spotted the letter as Hermione pointed it out to them.

Hermione opened the envelope and read out what was written:

Dear Mr Potter

Miss Weasley  
Miss Granger  
And Mr Weasley.

You are no doubt questioning your present location, so I will enlighten you. You are currently in "The Royal" a rather expensive hotel in muggle London. This portkey has been chosen for you because both Mister Potter and Miss Granger will be well equipped to fit in with muggle society. Do not be surprised if you meet other classmates and their partners; many of them will find themselves in London. Inside the backpack, you will find one thousand pounds which you may spend as you see fit. You will kindly touch your respective bag and say "home" in order to return Hogwarts at some point on Sunday. Enjoy your week!

Warmest regards  
Professor Dumbledore.

"Let me get this straight." Harry said "We get to spend the next week in London?"

"Yes" Hermione replied as she scanned the letter.

"But... but here? In this hotel." Ron looked around yet again.

"Yes." Hermione said, if possible, with even more excitement.

"With no teachers, and a thousand pounds to spend!" Ginny felt lightheaded.

"I wonder how they got the money?" said Hermione.

"Probably from the school funds?" Harry guessed.

"So..." ventured Ginny. "Can we go shopping? I mean, we need clothes for tomorrow, don't we?"

They all agreed and headed down through the hotel and into London. Harry could be certain, but he had the impression that the staff at the hotel were used to guests appearing with little warning. Hermione had gone over to the front desk on their way out to 'be sure they knew that their rooms were occupied as they hadn't checked in upon arrival.' The man behind the counter had given a half-bow and winked at Hermione when he'd told her that a Mister Dumbledore had taken care of everything.

It took them most of the day to shop their way down Oxford Street. During the marathon of shopping, Ron developed a fascination with French Connection clothes, thinking their 'FCUK' logo was hilarious.

"Wait till I send this to Fred and George! Mum'll love it!"

The other couldn't help but laugh. After lunch, they ended up splitting up into their pairs. While Hermione and Ron went in search of more designer clothes, Ginny and Harry wandered around London. Hermione had suggested Camden marked was worth a visit and they had no better plans.

Harry and Ginny emerged from the underground (which had fascinated them both, truth be told, and they had gotten on the wrong train twice during the trip) and blinked at the crowd before them.

"Wow!" Ginny breathed at the amassed splendour of what looked, to Harry, like every gothic, punk and retro style he could imagine and about a thousand things in between.

"This must be where Tonks gets her inspiration." Harry smiled as a man with a blue Mohawk strolled past them.

It was as the braved some of the more intimidating-looking shops that the pair developed an obsession with leather, and their spending money began to burn a hole in their pockets.

When Ginny came out of the dressing room wearing a pair of leather trousers and a matching three quarter length coat, Harry choked on his diet coke. _Did she always look so amazing? Or is it just a leather fetish?_ he wondered.

"Oh, this must be a whole cow," Ginny sighed at her ensemble.

"Did you see out corsets?" The girl called to them from the till. Her face was studded with silver hoops and bars and she wore artfully ripped clothing. Her confidence let her pull the whole thing off with apparent ease and she smiled openly as Ginny's eyes went wide.

"Where..?" Ginny bit her lip, as the girl lead the way down the rabbit hole.

Harry thought it wise at that moment to dive into his own changing room: Ginny in a corset with leather trousers took his mind to a whole host of dangerous thoughts. He grinned to himself. _She's so beautiful._

Likewise, when Harry tried on his full-length leather coat, Ginny just stared, unable to think coherently as she drank in his body showed off by the outfit.

"How about I get you some bags?" the girl called from the till.

"Oh, I'm not sure," Ginny hadn't even checked any prices; she had been too caught up in the fun of trying on half the shop.

"I am." Harry's eyes seemed to break through all her resistance and... he did look spectacular in that coat.

"Perfect!" The girl called as she began to total up their purchases.

They wandered through several more socially acceptable shops on their way back to meet Ron and Hermione so that they would have something to wear the next day.

Hermione had had to work hard to tear her eyes away from Harry when she first saw him.

"Wow." she whispered to Ginny once Ron and Harry were out of earshot.

" I know! I think I forgot to breathe!" she whispered back and they began to giggle.

"So, what are we doing tonight?" Ron asked.

"How about seeing a film?" Harry hadn't ever actually been to a cinema, not that he could remember at least, and it looked like a lot of fun.

"Great idea!" Hermione scanned a map of the London Underground to find a route. "We'll have to get some food beforehand."

The group that traipsed back to their hotel at midnight was very tired and very happy. The film had been fun – a story filled with adventure and no small amount of vampires being killed on screen. Ron and Ginny had been horrified for a moment, at the amount of detail until Hermione explained enough about special effects crews that they relaxed into the story.

They had spent most of the ride back to the hotel commenting that the vampires hadn't been particularly realistic when compared to their Defence Against the Dark Arts books.

Hermione and Ginny had claimed one of the bedrooms, leaving the other for the boys. They suspected Dumbledore had chosen their rooms with this in mind.

After a few minutes of chatting, Ginny admitted that she had no idea what to dress Harry as for the ball and had asked Hermione's opinion.

"Find a character that suits him, I suppose" Hermione mused as she tried to speak clearly around her toothbrush. "Were you thinking of something dark?"

"I suppose? I wasn't before, but he looked really good in the leather coat today." Ginny sighed. "Anyway, what's Ron going to be?"

"As cheesy as it sounds, he is my knight in shining armour." They laughed at that and Hermione moved back to the bathroom to finish changing for bed.

. . .

On Sunday morning, the four were just deciding where to go that afternoon, and were aimlessly wandering through Diagon Alley, when they saw a tattoo parlour.

"let's go and have a look?" Said Harry pointing at the shop. What could it hurt if they were only looking.

"Why not." Said Hermione, shocking everyone. She had always secretly planned to get a tattoo. It was her own private thought of rebellion. She loved her parents dearly and worked to keep her grades good. She never stayed out late or disobeyed orders unless it was important. Overall Hermione thought she was a good daughter... so it made her itch for something, just one small thing, that was decidedly _bad_ to balance her out.

They headed into the shop to find it empty of customers.

"Hi there!" A woman greeted them from behind a counter.

"Hello." Hermione smiled.

"Do you know what you want, or would you like to look around?" The woman asked.

"Maybe browse for a bit?" Ron asked as he stared in wonder at the walls, which gave examples of the artist's work.

"Um, excuse me, how old do we have to be for this?" Ginny frowned; she wasn't about to get parental consent on this one. She also wasn't sure if she wanted a tattoo: it was a lot of commitment.

"Oh, bless you, you don't need to be any age: our tattoos are magic and can be removed at any time. Just pop back into the shop whenever you like." The woman looked at the two boys. "We generally like you to be over the age of 14 or to have a parent present, but you are all clearly older than that so... have at it!"

"Does it hurt much?" Harry asked as he flattened his fringe: he didn't want to be noticed today.

"No, not at all." The woman turned so they could see the dragon curled around her shoulder. "Though it does itch a little while they cast the spells."

Ron flipped through a book of designs until he found a picture of a grey wolf that looked like it was stalking something.

"That one!" he decided.

"You're sure?" The woman smiled.

"I like it." said Harry, the others agreed. "But... well, I don't know how soon we could come back, if you wanted it removing?"

"Who said anything about wanting it removed?" said Ron and he headed through the door the woman pointed him towards. "It's an impulsive thing to do, but that doesn't make it bad."

After about half an hour, the woman came back into the waiting room and Hermione walked through the door brandishing a picture of a stalking lioness.

"I'm sensing a pattern here, all stalking animals." Said Ginny as she and Harry sank into some of the chairs which were lined up along the wall.

"Better not break it," said Harry as something drew his eyes to a picture, he pointed to a panther that was emerging staring straight out from the page. It had vibrant green eyes and Harry loved it. Until that moment, he hadn't been sure he was getting anything tattooed onto himself, but now... now the chaise was easy.

"Oh, that's the one I was going to get," said Ginny with a tiny smile under her disappointment. "I'd better find something else."

"No! We can match," he laughed. "I mean, who would see them anyway?"

Ginny smiled and headed for the door when the woman called for the next customer.

"Are you sure?" She offered him a chance to change his mind.

"Positive!"

When the woman called again, Harry followed the path the others had taken. He emerged in a brightly lit room where the young blond witch waited.

"Have a seat" she said and smiled. "May I have your design?"

He handed it over.

"Good choice! Where do you want it to be?"

Harry pointed at his arm, just below the shoulder.

"About there, please?" He kept waiting for her to ask more questions, but she seemed happy to simply work.

"Ok, hold still, this'll just take a few minutes." She told him with a carefree smile.

The witch performed several complex spells and eventually, the panther appeared in all its glory on Harry's arm.

"T-thank you," Harry said as he rose, "It's perfect!" He and the woman both stared at the magnificent and almost, but not quite, aggressive creature on his arm.

"It did turn out well." She agreed. Harry paid her what he owed and then she showed him the door his friends had taken.

He exited the shop to find Ron marvelling at the wolf, which was on his left shoulder blade, Hermione with the majestic lion on her right arm and Ginny whose tattoo Harry couldn't see.

"Where is it?" he asked after saying hello and showing them the panther he now his under the sleeve of his t-shirt.

She grinned at him and turned around, she lifted her shirt so that he could see. The panther was on her back and was positioned so that she could hide it easily. The woman had changed the design slightly so that Ginny's panther was crouched and ready to pounce whereas Harry's stood tall.

"That looks amazing!" He said truthfully. "I love it!"

After a lazy lunch, the group ended up wandering back to their hotel rooms to pack.

"I really enjoyed this!" said Harry when he and Ginny were double checking one of the bathrooms.

"Me too...I'm going to miss y-it" _oh, well done Ginny_ she scolded herself _'just tell him how much you enjoyed watching him try on clothes: great way to ruin a friendship!_'

"I know exactly how you feel Gin." He said. Harry heard the slip in her words and he would miss her too.

Ginny smiled and a few strands of hair fell across her face. He reached up to tuck them behind her ear and drew her closer to him. Ginny drew in breath and her thoughts spun as she lifted her face to his, then-

"Come on! The portkeys about t-" Hermione burst through the door a second later and Harry and Ginny sprang apart.

"Err..." Harry trailed off as Hermione apologised furiously and dashed away.

"Hermione," Ginny shook her head and moved away from Harry. She gathered her things and was gone before Harry could think of anything to say.

Five minutes later, the group clustered around their bags and said "home!"


	8. animagi

Bluebell flames - I really like your name! Thanks for reviewing! This fanfic is just for fun; its what I think would be good if it happened, so I guess there's going to be times when things are a bit unbelievable. However, I really liked that chapter, so I decided to post it.

Ginnyweasleyfan - thank you! I like my way of writing Ginny to!

Chicanosurfer - don't worry, Harry and Ginny will get to be together soon.

Varsitycheerleader - there will be more fluff soon! I promise!

Sweatpea242 - thank you for your support! Please keep reading!

...

Hermione and Ron were in the common room the four Gryffindor students shared.

When they had returned to Hogwarts in a flash of light, things between Harry and Ginny seemed distinctly off. The two had parted ways as Harry had gone to fly and Ginny had gathered an armful of books and headed towards the library. Hermione had wanted to ask what had happened but she could see that neither Harry nor Ginny had thought back over the whatever-it-had-been yet.

Ron had sighed deeply as Harry fled the room.

"Just us, then." He mused with a smile more carefree than Hermione could have managed.

"Just us." She was grateful for the easy warmth of his eyes. Something about Ron's fiery personality seemed to have become more erratic lately. His temper flared spectacularly when she least expected it (though always in a harmless and seemingly random direction) but for the rest of the time, Ron was warm and supportive and... well, everything she had always hoped she could see in him.

"Hermione?" Ron's eyes widened as they did every time she looked at him with that particular question in her eyes: _are you going to kiss me?_

Ron overcame his surprise and pressed his lips to hers. Hermione loved that surprise; the moment of disbelief that she wanted him. It made her believe he wanted her too, it made her sure that this was something real between them, more than simply hormones or... or boredom.

When the kiss ended, both were out of breath and smiling guiltily at the other through their blush.

"I err..." Ron scratched at the back of his neck. "Thanks?"

"Oh Ron," Hermione smiled as she watched him. "You don't have to be so polite. We're _supposed _to do this, remember?"

"No, well, _yes_. Huge massive amounts of yes because the kissing is fantastic... it's just, you were working." Ron looked at the books surrounding his girlfriend.

"Yes," Hermione was working on their animagus research once more, "but then aren't I always?"

"So you don't mind me interrupting?" Ron asked with a very appreciative look at Hermione's curves.

"Hermione?" He prompted after a few more seconds of silence.

"Ron, do you think I should have written to Professor Lupin?" Hermione frowned at the books next to her on the sofa.

"About _what?_" Ron panicked for a moment as Hermione's thought process moved on. The idea that they might need Moony for help with their love life was disturbing at best.

"Oh!" Hermione's eyes widened as she realised what he thought. "About the transformation, I mean."

Seeing as the mood was now well and truly ruined, Ron settled into a seat opposite Hermione and thought over her question.

"He would know what he was talking about." Ron nodded.

"And first-hand experiences with the transformation would be invaluable, but we can hardly go to Professor McGonagall, can we?" Hermione looked at her notes again.

"If it's such a good idea, why haven't you written to him?" Even as Ron asked, he had a feeling he knew the answer. "Harry?"

"Harry." Hermione agreed.

"Did he ever write to Moony?" Ron's voice grew quieter though there was no one else to hear him.

"I don't think so. Not after the first time." Hermione and Ron had both seen the aftermath of that letter: Harry had pleaded for forgiveness and Remus Lupin had been driven to tears by the heartbreak in Harry's words. Ron's parents and Tonks had ended up physically restraining Remus from going to Privet Drive because they had no idea what the effect of a heartbroken Remus might have had on the almost equally heartbroken Harry.

"Then...is it right for us to?" Ron questioned.

"I've been asking myself that all week." Hermione said. "I even think it could help the two of them, Remus might be proud of Harry trying."

"He'll lecture us all for a month about how dangerous this is." Ron grinned.

"Of course he will. But under that he'll see it as _their_ legacy. Harry becoming his father's son and carrying on Sirrius' wishes." Hermione hoped.

"Then maybe Harry has to tell him." Ron suggested.

"You think so?" Hermione had come to the same conclusion alone, but having support in it was a comfort.

"And we should wait until it occurs to Harry too, don't you think?" Ron seemed less certain of that part until Hermione crossed the distance between them and flung her arms around him.

. . .

Hermione hadn't planned to wait for Ginny that night, but when the redhead crept back into their shared dormitory, Hermione was still wide awake.

"Hi." Ginny filled the silence and rather than let things become awkward she decided to start the conversation rather than putting it off. "Hermione, can I ask you... what exactly did you see, when you came to get us for the portkey?"

Hermione was so relieved that Ginny was speaking to her about this that for a moment she couldn't answer.

"Hermione?" Ginny asked as she folded pleats into her shirt.

"Ginny, you can hardly deny that something was about to happen, can you?" Hermione crossed from her desk to the edge of her bed. She sank into the mattress and put out a hand to steady herself and Ginny adopted a similar seat.

"Well, I-" Ginny looked down "I-"

"I did _see_ the two of you. Something was happening." Hermione couldn't understand why Ginny was so resistant to the idea.

"I suppose," Ginny said, "But, I don't know if he genuinely likes me or if he thinks I'm a silly little girl who thinks she's in love." Sincerity burned through Ginny's words and Hermione could see what held Ginny back.

"You really do like him, don't you?" Hermione's voice was quiet.

"I'm scared to like him this much." Ginny closed her eyes as she admitted it.

"It can be scary." Hermione tried not to mention Ron by name; it was not something she was used to talking about. And even then, she was definitely not used to talking about it with Ron's sister.

"Is it worth this?" Ginny asked, pulling back the curtain of her hair which had fallen over her shoulder.

"I hope so." Hermione said. "I think it is."

"You aren't just saying that to make me feel better?" Ginny smiled thinly.

"Ginny," Hermione said, "I don't know very much about this. I'm not experienced with dating. But even if I was, I'm not sure how any of that would apply to Harry. For what it's worth, I know _him_ and it's obvious to anyone with... with _half_ an eye that Harry likes you."

She wondered if Harry was blind to his own feelings or if he was hiding them out of desperation. Hermione promised herself that she would speak with Harry alone the first moment she could.

. . .

Ron had gone with Harry to breakfast the next day. He had wanted to be there in case Harry started to talk about what had gone on the day before (no such look) and Hermione had been so deeply focussed on the research occupying their coffee table that Ron had seen breakfast as an escape.

When Ron and Harry returned to the common room, Hermione and Ginny ran up to them smiling:

"We found it!"

"Hermione did, anyway, but still! We can make it work!" Ginny grinned widely and Harry couldn't help but smile at how pretty she looked when she was excited. He put his arms around her when she was close enough, diving her a moment to pull away before he hugged her close.

"Congratulations!" He told her as he smiled to Hermione as well.

"What did you find?" Ron asked as Harry and Ginny parted and Hermione pulled Harry into a hug of her own. Harry realised belatedly that his ease around Ginny was obvious to Hermione.

"Come and talk to me later?" She asked.

"I promise." He meant his words.

Harry was then broken out of his thoughts by Ginny saying,

"It's the animagus spell. All you have to do is point your wand at yourself and say "forma animagi" then, if you have the ability, a cloud appears next to you and takes the shape of your form."

"It sounds simple enough," said Harry with a frown.

"I know, I expected something more complex as well." Hermione agreed.

"Yeah, if it's that easy, why aren't all wizards animagi?" said Ron

"Oh Ron, listen, you can only change if you have the ability." Ginny smiled at her brother.

"According to what I've read, despite the lack of any actual data to support this, the books explain that the chances are remote." Hermione took over the explanation. "It seems as though very few wizards and witches have the ability and even fewer find that their form settles at the right time of them to learn the transformation."

"Well, what have we got to lose?" Ron grinned, pointed his wand at himself and said, "forma animagi!"

For a second nothing happened and Ron's face fell. Then, an eerie howling filled the room, growing louder with every moment until the four occupants could feel it shiver against their bones and a magnificent wolf with a streak of red running through its tail appeared next to Ron.

"Oh Ron," Hermione breathed, "that's wonderful! The wolf symbolizes stability, power, loyalty and success, its perfect for you!"

"Yeah" said Ron, he looked astounded by the magnificent wolf. It howled once more then bore its fangs in a rough imitation of a grin and disappeared.

Harry glanced at Ginny and she nodded enthusiastically.

"Forma animagi." Their voices rang out.

After a moment smoke began to billow through the room, but it produced indistinct clouds.

"What does that mean?" Harry asked as his smile faltered.

"I think it means..." Hermione re-read something on the page before her. "Yes, it does, it means that you have the ability to perform the transformation. You're waiting for your form to settle."

"So, they try again?" Ron asked, fighting disappointment that they couldn't all try to transform together that night.

"Maybe we should give it some time?" Harry shrugged.

"It could be years before it settles." Ginny sighed.

Hermione went last and produced a graceful lioness whose roar echoed wonderfully around their common room.

"Perfect," Harry grinned.

Ginny picked up the book on animagi and smiled at her friend.

"It's exactly you! The lioness represents light, resourcefulness, courage and intelligence."

Hermione beamed at them.

. . .

Harry could see the excitable look in Ron's eyes and so when the girls decided they would go to dinner, Harry wasn't surprised when Ron held him back.

"I'll just get that broom polish you wanted Harry." Ron offered while trying his best not to look guilty.

"Okay, sure." Harry waved to the girls as they left.

"Right!" Ron pounced on the book. "I'm too nervous, you read it."

Harry grinned and scanned the pages. "Actually, it sounds simple, you need to picture the wolf and ... that's all. Let the magic take over."

"All I do is clear my mind and think of the... that wolf... of _me_?" Ron asked. "Are you sure?"

"Sounds like it." Harry scratched at the back of his neck. "But it worked with the moon veil thing, right?"

"Yeah... I guess it did." Ron concentrated and muttered "my right hand... just my right hand."

Harry watched for long enough that he was bored. It was in the moment between one yawn and the next where Ron's hand twisted somehow out of its normal shape. In the moment of awed disbelief, Ron's fist became a paw. Harry's startled cry was met with Ron's own and the redhead's hand reappeared.

"Wow." Harry sat down hard, the book tumbling to the side.

"Bloody Hell." Ron agreed.

"What happened? It looked like it was going fine?" Harry asked.

"It was, but it hurt, is that normal?" Ron paled against his freckles.

"Err...it says here," Harry said as he pulled the book back towards them, "it only hurts the first time."

"Okay." Ron growled through gritted teeth.

"Okay?" Harry blinked. "You're trying again?"

"Try and stop me!" Ron laughed through his gritted teeth.

This time the transformation started almost at once. Harry was stunned completely as his best friend began to shrink and his clothes seemed to melt as he grew fur. It probably took less than a minute until in Ron's place was the powerful wolf with a line of red fur through its tail.

"That's amazing!" Harry breathed.

Ron grinned and howled. It made the hair rise on Harry's neck but sounded almost powerful enough to send a Deatheater running. There were a few moments after Ron turned into the wolf when Harry realised he was locked in a room with a potentially wild animal and he probably shouldn't have gotten into that situation.

Luckily for him, Ron seemed to be acting more like an excited puppy than a terrifying wolf. Harry laughed good-naturedly as Ron figured out how to move on four paws and how to balance with a tail as well.

It wasn't until Ron's ears pricked up that they two stopped dashing around the room in a strange game of tag. There were feathers scattered everywhere from where one of the pillows had split as it had been thrown across the room by one of them and they had managed to knock over one of their desks as well.

"What is it? Ron?" Harry grinned as he gasped for breath.

Ron whined slightly as he looked at the door. Then Hermione's voice drifted towards Harry's ears and he realised the girls were back.

"Oh. Right, err..." The room was a mess. "Well let's deal with that later. How do we turn you back first?"

Harry sorted through the piles of pillows and duvet until he uncovered the animagus book. "Okay... got it. Ron you need to clear your mind again and think about being human. The same way as you did it before, only backwards, if you catch my drift."

"Okay Ron?" Harry looked over to where the wolf now sat.

"Err... Ron?" He asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Ron?" The wolf whined and shook it's head. Harry moved forwards until he could see the panic clearly in Ron's eyes.

"Are you stuck?" Harry asked as he reached a hand out to his friend.

The wolf seemed beyond communication at that point.

"Hermione?" Harry asked the wolf. Seeing it's ears prick up again at the name Harry drew in breath.

"Hermione!" Harry bellowed.

In the private common room, Hermione had just persuaded Ginny to go and talk to Harry when Harry burst into the room looking like the hounds of hell were after him.

If Ginny had been thinking properly, she would have noticed the panic on Harry's face and realized he hadn't been thinking clearly at all. But Ginny was not thinking properly at that moment and so all she saw was the door Harry slammed in her face after he had dragged Hermione through it.

"Help?" Harry gestured to the pitiful sight of Ron.

"Oh gosh." Hermione blinked at her boyfriend. "Is he trapped?"

"I think so." Harry gestured to the wolf. "He can't exactly tell me though."

"Right, of course, only one thing for it then." Hermione sank to her knees and braced her hands on the floor.

Harry heard her chanting "Lioness. Lioness. Lioness" under her breath.

It only took a few moments before Hermione's hair became distinctly bushier and she too began to spout fur. Her fear for Ron seamed to aid her ability to transform and within a minute, a majestic lioness stood in front of Harry.

"That's beautiful!" He breathed.

Hermione seemed not to hear him as she padded over to the wolf-that-was-Ron. Her tail swished around her as she walked easily on her paws. Harry had the irreverent thought that perhaps Ron was clumsy as a wolf.

Sooner than Harry expected, the lioness changed back into one of his best friends, still grimacing from the pain.

Then, the wolf blinked and Ron reappeared.

"You're okay," said Hermione as relief overcame her.

"It was weird," said Ron, "I knew how to change back, but I wasn't calm enough to do it. Only then when Hermione did it, it... it looked so easy, I think I copied her without meaning to."

He hugged Hermione for a few seconds then she pulled away and looked over to Harry.

"What happened to Ginny?"

"I left her... I... oh." Harry belatedly realised that he had abandoned Ginny outside.

"Will she be...?" Harry turned back to Hermione.

"You might owe her an explanation... and an apology." Hermione suggested gently.

"Yeah, I'll just... I'll find her." Harry hauled open the door only to find the common room empty and, after he dashed to the Girl's dorm, a locking charm on their door.

"Probably give it till tomorrow then, mate?" Ron advised with all the subtlety and understanding of a brick wall. "Let her cool off."


	9. understanding

Hello! I have 36 reviews! I'm flattered thank you all so much! Please keep reviewing.  
  
Potato gal - thanks for your review! It's nice to get a new reviewer! You're so kind I hope you enjoy the rest of the fic!  
  
Next tangent - thanks for your review! I'm so sorry I forgot to mention you in the last chapter!  
  
Varcitycheerleader (Jess) - thank you so much for that great review! You wont be in the tent for long, it's the Christmas ball next chapter, but I have to warn you that I'm terrible at fluff! I'm trying to write it for you but I'm sorry if it's dreadful!  
  
Chicanosurfer - thank you for your forgiveness! It wont be that long again! The clouds mean that their animagus forms haven't settled yet. So, Harry and Ginny have the ability to change, they just don't know their form yet.  
  
Billjoebob that's so nice of you! I'm really happy that I'm on your favourites list, I hope you enjoy this chapter!  
  
Virusgod - I'm glad you like it!  
  
Cryin - thanks so much! I really liked your fic! I hope you got my review!  
  
....................................  
  
The next morning, Hermionie calling his name woke Harry up.  
  
"W - what?"  
  
"I said," she half yawned "what are you doing here at this time in the morning?"  
  
"Its morning?"  
  
"Yes, you know, the time that comes after night"  
  
"Oh very witty!" he joked  
  
"I try." She smiled  
  
"Is . um . is Gin in there?"  
  
"Oh!" comprehension dawned on her face "That's why you're here!"  
  
Harry blushed  
  
"Umm.. yea, I umm got some sense knocked into me." He smiled at Hermionie who noticed feint traces of a handprint on Harry's cheek.  
  
"I'm sorry about that Harry, I was shocked about Ron and, I guess I overreacted."  
  
"That's ok, I think I needed it."  
  
"Anyway, I think Ginny went to breakfast already, she'll be back soon though! You wont have to wait long."  
  
"I don't know if that's good or bad," he said honestly. "I mean its good, I need to speak to her. but . I don't. I mean . I cant." Harry sighed and looked into Hermionie's eyes, "I'm in love with her. I can't lose her friendship but at the same time, just being friends with her is killing me."  
  
It took Hermionie a minute to find her voice  
  
"If I were you, I'd start by apologizing to her." she was dieing to tell Harry that Ginny had fallen in love with him too, but she knew they had to discover it for themselves. And, if she did tell Harry, Ginny would never speak to her again because Hermionie had betrayed her trust.  
  
"Yea.I can do that." He didn't even believe himself so he knew Hermionie didn't believe him.  
  
"You can Harry!"  
  
"Yea?"  
  
"Yes! And I think you'll be happier once you do."  
  
"Thanks Hermionie. What are you doing today?"  
  
"Well, since there's no school, Ron and I are going to explore the forest."  
  
Harry's eyes lit up with interest "I wish I could come!"  
  
"Your form will settle soon Harry, i'm sure"  
  
"Yea, I know. It just looks like fun."  
  
At that moment Ron returned from breakfast and said hello to Harry before walking out of their common room with Hermionie, bouncing with excitement.  
  
"You know," Harry said to the empty room "I don't think he's ever been that awake before lunch!"  
  
He decided to work on the code while he waited for Ginny. He reached for the book filled with calculations of the years since the deaths of the founders and Helga Hufflepuff's date of birth and similar lists of useless numbers, and wrote out the alphabet. Harry couldn't shake the feeling that they had been working too hard to break the code and missed the simple answer.  
  
At that point, Ginny entered the room wearing blue hipster jeans and a black shirt that emphasized the green eyes of the panther tattoo, and she sat down next to Harry.  
  
"Gin! I need to apologize, the way I acted, I had no right! I mistreated you and I completely ignored you! I'm so sorry! It was because Ron couldn't change out of his wolf form, not that that's an excuse, but I wasn't thinking too well, I panicked. I mean, I still shouldn't have spoken to you like that. You didn't deserve that." He finally met her eyes "you could never deserve that."  
  
As he spoke, Ginny once more found herself drowning in Harry's eyes and they unconsciously leaned closer to each other. Harry breathed in the scent of Ginny and slowly pressed his lips to hers. Fire raced through them both and as Harry pulled her closer, Ginny shivered with pleasure and slid her hands up to the base of his neck. Harry pulled her closer still as they poured their need for each other into the kiss.  
  
They, abruptly, Ginny pulled away and Harry's brain started working. For a few seconds, they stared into each other's eyes then Harry realized what he had just done.  
  
"Gin I- I- I'm so sorry! I should never have done that! I - I'll go" he rose to leave and willed himself not to tell her how much he wanted to stay.  
  
"No! You cant!" Ginny thrust her love for him aside and continued, "you're my best friend and . we need to finish the code"  
  
He sighed in relief; at least she would still speak to him! He couldn't believe he had been so stupid! "It felt so wonderful! I wish she could like me to!" he thought.  
  
"Yea.the code!" he said. They smiled and started work.  
  
Harry wrote the numbers they knew (the ones that made up the title of iunctura anima) on his list then stared at it. There was a pattern! A=37 and c=36 so e=35 and so on. He reached y=25 then started at b with 24. He couldn't believe it! He had worked out the code! He pushed his paper over to Ginny  
  
She read:  
  
A - 37  
  
B - 24  
  
C - 36  
  
D - 23  
  
E - 35  
  
F - 22  
  
G - 34  
  
H -21  
  
I -33  
  
J -20  
  
K - 32  
  
L - 19  
  
M -31  
  
N - 18  
  
O - 30  
  
P - 17  
  
Q -29  
  
R - 16  
  
S - 28  
  
T - 15  
  
U - 27  
  
V -14  
  
W -26  
  
X -13  
  
Y - 25  
  
Z -12  
  
"Oh My God! That's it! You did it!"  
  
She launched herself at Harry and hugged him, and then she stared at the page before it where she had written:  
  
"Gryffindor  
  
Hufflepuff  
  
Ravenclaw  
  
Slytherin"  
  
After a minute she pulled away from Harry  
  
"The names! The letters add up to 38! And since in the pattern, you take 1 away from the previous number, that makes a 37!"  
  
"You're incredible Gin!" Harry said and she hugged him again.  
  
"I love you Harry! You're my best friend and I'd never have done that without you!"  
  
That was the last straw! he couldn't take it! He pulled away from her and met her questioning gaze.  
  
"That's just it though! I'm not your friend Gin! I'll never be your friend!"  
  
In that moment, Ginny felt her heart shattered and her dreams of Harry liking her destroyed.  
  
"Gin, ill be in love with you 'till it kills me. And i'm not talking about the friendship kind of love."  
  
It took a second for the meaning of Harry's words to sink into her. Then, as her heart healed itself, she did the only thing that made any sense to her; she pulled Harry to her and kissed him.  
  
"I - I love you to Harry Potter"  
  
He smiled at her and they kissed again, both lost in the fiery passion of the kiss. 


	10. The Christmas Ball

Hello! I'm sorry it's been so long since I updated! I could give you my reasons, but it would take hours! Thank you to all my reviewers. I cant mention you all this time because I cant get into my e-mails rite now, i'm sorry. But please keep reviewing, I need your comments on the story to make it better.  
  
Happy Holidays!  
  
..................................  
  
After the kiss the night before, Ginny felt as if she was flying. The feeling still hadn't subsided by lunchtime the next day as she and Hermionie sat in their common room, while the boys sat in the bedroom.  
  
"GINNY!!!" Hermionie shouted to her friend  
  
"Hmmmm?" Ginny replied still staring out of the window  
  
"Ok, what's wrong with you? You've been acting so strangely all day! We have to get the final touches added to these costumes before 3!" It was the day of the Christmas ball, tomorrow; the other students were going home for Christmas. The students had to finish their costumes by 3pm then at 7(the start of the ball,) the pairs would use a spell to make the costumes appear on their partners. This meant that the partners couldn't see each other before 7, and Ginny hadn't had a chance to talk to Harry yet.  
  
"Im sorry! Its just.." Ginny snapped herself out of her daydream, replaying the kiss. She scrambled for an excuse, and then remembered the code "Harry and I broke the code! I can't wait to read the book! I was thinking about it and I guess I just drifted off."  
  
"That's wonderful Ginny!" Hermionie knew there was more to it than that, but she knew Ginny would tell her if she needed to know. 'I wonder if this has anything to do with Harry?' she mused.  
  
They spent the rest of the day talking and frantically trying to get the costumes exactly right. At 7, Harry came into the common room. He carefully avoided looking at Ginny because, if he did, he knew he'd start grinning like an idiot.  
  
"Ron says he's nearly finished and to give him a few minutes."  
  
"That's ok Harry, I could do with a bit more time as well. You and Ginny go into the bedroom to sort out your costumes, ill wait for Ron."  
  
Harry smiled gratefully at her, and then followed Ginny into her room. As Ginny shut the door behind them, Harry turned around to face her. Their gazes locked and Ginny pulled him to her and kissed him. Harry wrapped his arms around her waist as he pushed her up against the door and she moaned into the kiss. Several minutes after they lost themselves in the kiss, they broke apart, panting.  
  
"god I wish id told you that I loved you sooner!" Harry smiled  
  
"I'm just glad you have done." Ginny replied, and smiled back.  
  
"Oh! I forgot, the costumes!"  
  
"Oh yes! Are you ready?"  
  
"Yea, I guess ... I lust hope you like yours gin."  
  
She laughed, "Only one was to find out."  
  
They faced each other and performed the spell shown to them by professor McGonagall. The spell took affect on Harry first, he was surrounded by a blinding golden light, which disappeared, leaving him dressed in the costume Ginny had made.  
  
Harry tried to look in the mirror, but found he had no reflection 'odd' he thought, and looked down at himself, The clothes he wore were fairly normal, black trousers, a fitted black t-shirt and a full length leather coat. The 'magic' of the costume was that when he moved, it was with an unnatural grace and his movements were completely silent. He gave a 'sexy half smile thing' (as Ginny had named it) to Ginny and revealed that he had fangs.  
  
"Gin..this is incredible!"  
  
"Its ok?"  
  
"Gods yes! I love it"  
  
The conversation stopped there as the spell took affect on Ginny. As the light cleared, she looked at herself in the mirror and gasped at what she saw.  
  
Her hair, which hung loose around her shoulders, now had streaks of gold in it and there were swirls of golden glitter on her right cheek also, her finger nails were now gold. She wore a strapless dress that fitted her to her hips then flared out around her. The odd thing about the dress was its colour, reds and gold's and oranges danced across it making it look as if it was made of fire. She turned slightly and saw that there were fiery wings on her back.  
  
She turned to Harry and found that for a moment, she couldn't speak.  
  
"t-thank you so much! Its wonderful Harry!" she pulled him into a hug.  
  
"Well, it started out as a moaning myrtle costume but..." He teased  
  
She mock glared at him and pointed an accusing ringer at him "You - " she stopped. A ball of fire had flown from her outstretched hand and would have hit Harry if he hadn't leapt into the air.. and stayed there.  
  
"How..." she tried to ask  
  
"I don't know gin...maybe we were just a bit..overenthusiastic with our magic?"  
  
She laughed as Harry flew back to the ground.  
  
"Gin? Can you fly too? I mean, you are a fairy"  
  
She smiled and thought about rising into the air, then her wings began to beat back and forth as she flew into the air. She rose a few feet then smiled as Harry joined her.  
  
"I guess you can do everything a fire fairy can do and I can..." He trailed off as he remembered Dudley watching a vampire film in which the vampire had been able to control a girl using his eyes.  
  
"I wonder.."  
  
"Wonder what har-" she stopped as she felt herself lost in Harry's bottomless green eyes. She came towards him then Harry abruptly released her mind.  
  
"W-w-why did you" she struggled to think straight, being under Harry's thrall was, oddly, incredibly arousing.  
  
"It wouldn't be right gin, you weren't in control of yourself, I couldn't kiss you like that."  
  
"Well i'm not under it now." She kissed him and they both lost themselves in the fire of the kiss. They were so involved, that they didn't even hear the door open.  
  
"Ginny, har-" Hermionie stood, shocked at the sight of Harry and Ginny's passionate kiss. They broke apart, startled.  
  
"Hermionie!" Harry said, "I-um-we were just coming to see if Ron was ready." He finished lamely, she had seen exactly what they were doing and he knew it.  
  
"Sure you were! Oh Ginny! You look amazing!" Hermionie and Ginny talked for a minute about the costume and Ginny told her about the "side effects"  
  
"It sounds incredible!" Hermionie reasoned that there was no need to pretend she hadn't seen the kiss. "About .. What I saw, I wont tell anyone, even Ron"  
  
Harry and Ginny sighed in relief,  
  
"Thank you!" they said together.  
  
Hermionie understood why they hadn't told her, telling people should alert Voldemort to the fact that Ginny could now be used against Harry and that they didn't know hoe the school would react. She almost smiled as she pictured Ginny having to hide from the Harry potter fan club as they prowled the school looking for the girl who 'stole' Harry.  
  
Ron shouted to them that he was ready and they went back into the common room. After explaining to Ron about their costumes, Harry and Ginny watched as the light of the spell revealed Ron dressed in shining golden armour with a sword strapped to his belt and Hermionie who wore her hair as a mass of ringlets cascading to her shoulders. Her blood red gown's bodice left her shoulders and an expanse of bosom glowing against the muslin, then blossomed into a wide skirt, similar to Ginny's dress.  
  
Everyone was in awe of the costumes. After admiring their outfits, the four proceeded to the great hall and enjoyed the ball. They ate their meals and, after the food, they began to dance under the starry ceiling of the hall. Just as the ball drew to n end, Dumbledore stood up.  
  
"I light of the tremendous effort put into each and every persons costume, the teachers and I have awarded prizes for the best consumes. Everyone mentioned will receive 30 house points and will kindly come onto the stage for an extra prize.  
  
In 5th place, Helena Thornley of Ravenclaw.  
  
In 4th place, Nellie Johnson of Gryffindor  
  
In 3rd place, Laura Gillespie of Gryffindor  
  
In 2nd place, Draco Malfoy of Slytherin  
  
And, in joint first place...Harry potter and Ginny weasley, both of Gryffindor."  
  
The hall filled with cheering and the winners came onto the stage in order. Helena, who was dressed as a necromancer, wore bells across her chest and carried a sword that glowed with runes, came first, and received a moving figurine in the shape of a falcon.  
  
Nellie, who was dressed as a fairy, in purple trousers and a strapless purple top, had wings that moved, they fanned gently, back and forth, received a black dragon with glowing red eyes as her figurine.  
  
Laura then went onto the stage. She was dressed in a flowing white gown and had a white halo and soft, feathered wings. She received a phoenix that looked a lot like fawks.  
  
Malfoy was dressed as Spike from buffy. Harry, Ginny, Hermionie and Ron snickered when they saw this, a wizard like Malfoy, obsessed with being pure blood, and obviously watching muggle television shows! Malfoy also got a dragon, but his was smaller than the other and was silver. When Malfoy was on the stage, he moved too fast to be human but slow enough that his movements could be followed.  
  
At this point everyone realised that Harry and Ginny must be able to do something special, to be able to beat Malfoy and his inhuman speed.  
  
Dumbledore cleared his throat and looked meaningfully at Harry and Ginny. They sighed and Harry swiftly melted into the shadows behind him and walked out of the deep shadows cast by a pillar on one side of the stage. Ginny smirked and flew onto the stage and stood next to him. For a moment, the hall was deathly silent, then it erupted into cheers from the Gryffindors, Rawenclaws and Hufflepuffs. Harry collected a golden gryffin figurine and Ginny received a war unicorn.  
  
Dumbledore announced the end of the ball and all of the students rushed up onto the stage to talk to the winners. Harry looked at Ginny who looked terrified he took her hand and led her into the shadow of the pillar. They disappeared in front of the entire hall and walked out of the shadows in their private common room.  
  
"Thanks! There were just so many people! I thought they'd crush us!" Ginny said as she sat next to Harry on a couch.  
  
"I know exactly how you feel" he leaned over and pulled Ginny into a hug.  
  
"They just make me so angry! The rest of the school, they didn't even wait for us to get off the stage! They're acting like-" suddenly, light flared from under Ginny's hands, which had been on Harry's shoulders, apart from two of her fingers on the left hand, which were resting against the skin of Harry's neck. He jumped and Ginny moved her hand to reveal two small burn marks about 3cm apart on Harry's neck.  
  
"Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't realise!" Harry placed a finger on her lips.  
  
"It's fine gin! I don't mind. I know this sounds crazy, I only told you I loved you yesterday, but, deep down, I know we're meant to be together."  
  
"I feel the same, Hermionie would call me crazy but ever since I first became friends with you, I've known we should be together...but what does that have to do with the burns?"  
  
"Well, I don't know much about vampires but, I do know that sometimes, they would mark each other, just like you did with the burns, to show others that they had claimed each other. So I'm not angry, looking at the marks in that way, i'm proud to have them."  
  
Ginny's eyes hadn't left his as he spoke and she leaned over to him and kissed him with all the fire and passion she possessed.  
  
"But then," she said after a few minutes, "don't I need a mark as well?"  
  
Harry blushed, "well...yes...but, I'd have to bite you ... and, I don't know..I mean, I don't want to hurt you and I'm pretty sure that being bitten by a vampire is going to hurt!"  
  
She looked squarely into his eyes, " I know, do it anyway."  
  
"you're sure?"  
  
"Of course I'm sure, I belong to you"  
  
Harry pulled Ginny as close to him as possible and kissed her deeply, he then trailed kissed down her neck and whispered,  
  
"Close your eyes, gin, it'll be over soon" then he sunk his fangs into her neck. She gasped at the initial pain but then, oddly, it stopped hurting, she felt, connected to Harry and oddly aroused. And when he moved away from her, for a second she longed for the closeness they had as he bit her.  
  
"Wow"  
  
"Yea" Harry replied  
  
"Did you feel that? The closeness?"  
  
"Yes. It was..incredible"  
  
They herd the door open and Ron and Hermionie begin to walk op the corridor.  
  
"Goodnight." They said together as they dashed into their separate bedrooms.  
  
When Hermionie came into her bedroom, she saw Ginny reading. They talked about the ball and how, after Harry and Ginny had left, they had persuaded the band to carry on playing. Ginny smiled at Hermionie as they talked and said vaguely that she and Harry had talked for a while then gone into their rooms. Then, forgetting about her neck, Ginny sat next to Hermionie on the red sofa in the corner of their room. She absently pulled a pillow onto her lap. As Hermionie talked about Christmas, the tissue Ginny held against her neck became soaked and let two drops of blood fall onto the gold cushion Ginny held.  
  
"Ginny! Are you ok? You're bleeding!"  
  
"Yes, yes i'm fine" Ginny said, blushing, "I...um..broke a nail and scratched my neck." 'Oh very convincing gin!' she mentally yelled at herself.  
  
"Let me see," Hermionie lent across and moved Ginny's hair away from her neck. For a split second she couldn't think what could have caused such a strange mark then she looked into Ginny's eyes, which somehow told her the answer.  
  
"YOU LET HIM BITE YOU?!" Hermionie half shouted  
  
"Shhhhhhh! Yes! I let him bite me but, it's not like that! It..."  
  
"I know exactly what its like, I wrote a 12 scroll report on vampires, including everything about how they claim each other!"  
  
Ginny blushed deeply, if Hermionie had read about it, she must have known exactly how it had made her feel, and that meant Hermionie must know...  
  
"Oh! Ginny! There's no way that.. I mean, it wasn't .. it didn't really turn you on did it?"  
  
Ginny groaned, "I'm sick! I'm twisted! There is no way that that should have felt good, but it did!"  
  
"I'm sure your not! The author said the same thing." At this point, she started to laugh and Ginny caught her giggles.  
  
Harry, who had heard them through the walls between the bedrooms smiled to himself and went to sleep. 


	11. Transformation

I'm very very sorry this chapter took soooooo long for me to write *begs for forgiveness* there is a whole list of reasons why I didn't write sooner, the worst of witch are the GSCE mocks *shudder* they were fess fun than you'd think! Seriously! Physics is practically Disneyland next to them! And just when you think its over, the teachers start reminding you how close the real GCSE's are!  
  
Ok! These are the replies to the people who reviewed chapter 9.......  
  
Lourdes – thank you! You're really kind! Actually, I'm not a Londoner but my dad works there so I visit.  
  
Ghost of Yoda – wow! I'm really glad you enjoyed my fic so much! I really like the idea of NEWT coursework too! I figure, if we have to do it, why shouldn't they?  
  
Varsitycheerleader – I'm glad you liked the fluff!!!!!!  
  
Chicanosurfer – thanks! The assignments do have a purpose; you will see it soon, for now, think of them as training!  
  
Next tangent – ill forgive you for being late with your review if you forgive me for taking so long to update.  
  
GinnyWeasleyfan – he he he thanks!  
  
Froggyy – I'm really glad you enjoyed my fic so far! I love harry/ginny but I have to admit, I lone harry/hermionie too!  
  
These are my chapter 10 reviewers!  
  
Next tangent – thank you! That's so kind! Thanks for pointing out the mistakes they should be changed soon! (I hope!)  
  
Cia – thank you!  
  
Wildmage – I love your name! he he he, I just had to put some Tamora Pierce in there somewhere!  
  
The one above all – thank you!  
  
Brittbrat – I'm honored! I love Harry Potter and vampires too!  
  
Dirbatua – here's your update!  
  
The mystical elf – wow! Thank you!  
  
Varsitycheerleader – aww thanks Jess! I'm really glad you like it! Ginny let Harry bite her because they're meant to be together, they realize that now.  
  
XtremeShorty – thanks!  
  
Dan – thanks! Lol! I'm glad u like it!!!  
  
Sean – here you go! A new chapter!  
  
Um..... I just wanted to ask.......Chicanosurfer? I know the last chapter was a bit different but I didn't think it was bad enough to make you stop reading. Anyway if you haven't stopped reading in disgust, I'd like to hear what you think!  
  
Ok! Thanks for bearing with me! Here's the chapter!  
  
The day after the ball, the other students boarded the Hogwarts express for the journey home to their families. In fact, the only Gryffindors left in the school were Harry, Ron, Hermionie and Ginny. They decided to stay in their common room, the larger common room looked lonely when it was so empty.  
  
On the Monday morning, Ginny still had gold fingernails and gold streaks in her hair.  
  
"You know, I don't think they're going to change back." She sighed  
  
"Well," said Hermionie, "I think it suits you!"  
  
"It could be worse, at least Harry didn't turn my hair green or something."  
  
"True! And it isn't just you, Ron said Harry can still melt into shadows, I think he's trying to see if he can still travel through them."  
  
"I s'pose.......but I would have liked to keep the ability to throw fireballs, there were so many possibilities!" Ginny said with a sadistic smile. Hermionie laughed and they went to find Harry and Ron.  
  
In the end, Hermionie and Ron decided to go back into the forest again. Hermionie still had to find a black fox and Ron had been accepted into the local wolf pack. So Harry and Ginny decided to translate the first chapter of the book rather than sit wishing their forms would settle.  
  
After three hours of work, Harry realized what they were translating.  
  
"This is it gin! It's the theory and instructions on how to perform the charm!"  
  
"Of course! That's why there's a list of potion ingredients!"  
  
"Are you nearly finished?" Harry asked after another hours work. He had just completed his half of the chapter.  
  
"Yes!" Ginny replied, throwing down her quill in triumph. "Do you think we should try it? The spell I mean.  
  
"Yes......... but where could we fi- OF COURSE! The Room of Requirement! We'd have everything we needed!"  
  
"That's perfect! I thought we'd have to steal from Snape! I never knew where we could find 'powdered phoenix tail feathers' or some of these other things"  
  
"Well, its after lunch now gin, Ron and Hermionie wont be back until late tonight, it says the potion takes about half an hour to make, we should go and eat then start to brew it. We'll be back hours before them."  
  
"That's great! Its just.........Harry, are you sure we can do this?"  
  
"No but.........I don't see any harm in us trying." He smiled at her and all of her resolve melted "damn" she thought half heartedly as she followed Harry out of the tower.  
  
Later, they walked up and down the corridor both thinking 'we need a place to perform the iunctura anima charm, a place they can't find us, a place they can't stop us.' The door appeared.  
  
Ginny looked up and caught Harry's gaze. "Do you think it worked?"  
  
He shrugged and opened the door.  
  
They walked into a chamber and were stunned when the door slammed shut behind them and disappeared. The north wall of the chamber was solid earth, the east wall was air and they could see clouds float across it, the south wall was made of fire, Ginny stared into the hypnotic dance of colour and the west wall was a wall of pure water.  
  
They crossed the room until they reached the table in the center. On the wooden table was everything they needed to perform the spell, apart from the translation that had disappeared as they came into the room. Harry's eyes darted around the room they flicked back to Ginny's.  
  
"Oh no! The translation, its gone!" Ginny said, panicking  
  
"Gin, I .........I don't know why but.........I remember the chapter.........word for word!" Harry looked at her and saw Ginny's eyes widen in shock.  
  
"Maybe its part of the spell?"  
  
"Yea, I'm sure that's it." Harry said, trying to convince himself of the same thing.  
  
"W-what do we do?"  
  
"I don't know Gin, hang on........." he thought for a moment they said, in a voice filled with power,  
  
"Voco Terra! Aeris! Ignis! Aqua! IUNCTUS!" The elements that formed the walls began to change, the air began to swirl, as did the water, the earth began to shake and the fire burned with a new intensity.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"Don't worry! We have to make the potion!"  
  
Ginny mentally shook herself. This was their spell! She was in control of it! It would not scare her! She stood with Harry and together they began to mix together the ingredients, as soon as the potion began to boil, (the potion was boiled for twenty minutes then drunk,) the earth, air, fire and water began to swirl together. They moved so fast, the room blurred.  
  
"Gin, are you ok?"  
  
"I'm fine!" but she felt, as Harry did, the strange sensation of her magic being pulled from her and thrust into the potion. Ginny gritted her teeth against the pain of having her magic taken from her and poured the potion into two cups, there was barely a swallow in each. Then, the pain increased, it was unbearable! She let out a scream and Harry was at her side instantly.  
  
"I know! I know it hurts Gin, but it'll be over soon! I promise!" Harry said through gritted teeth  
  
"H-Hurry please!"  
  
Harry nodded, he didn't trust himself to speak without screaming, he felt as if he was being torn apart, he reached for the first cup of potion and swallowed it. He grimaced as the pain increased even more. Ginny began to slip into unconsciousness and Harry wasn't holding himself awake by much.  
  
"Gin! Gin can you hear me?"  
  
"...........H-Harry?"  
  
"Yes! Its me"  
  
"Is it nearly over?" she whispered as tears ran silently down her cheeks. Harry looked down at the potion in his hands; he knew what he had to do.  
  
"Ginny? Do you trust me?"  
  
"Of course!"  
  
He tipped the potion into his mouth and kissed Ginny. The kiss was filled with passion and a want to ease each other's pain and, as soon as Ginny tasted the potion, the pain disappeared, after a minute or so, they broke apart though he still held her. As their eyes locked, they herd a sound like thunder only hundreds of times louder. Harry's eyes snapped back to Ginny's and he saw the same fear he felt mirrored in her eyes. Then, the room exploded in gold light. Harry and Ginny were thrown apart and suspended in mid air, unconscious, surrounded by the elements and hidden from the world.  
  
When the gold light exploded in the room, it sent a shockwave through Hogwarts. The whole school shuddered and in the headmaster's office, Dumbledore looked up sharply from his work and Fawks began to sing.  
  
"They can't have! Its impossible!" he whispered, and then he glanced at the singing bird and added, "Though, It appears they have! I must congratulate them after their bodies adapt." He smiled to himself and went back to work.  
  
When Ron and Hermionie returned, that evening, from the forest, they were shocked to see that neither Harry nor Ginny was in their common room.  
  
"I can't believe this! Where the bloody hell are they? You finally might be tracking a Black Fox and they cant be bothered to be here so you can tell them!" Ron ranted as her paced around the room.  
  
"Oh Ron" sighed Hermionie "I'm sure that they'll turn up soon enough.........but for now........." she said as she made her way over to her boyfriend "I do believe that we have the entire tower to ourselves!" a devilish grin spread across her face as she spoke.  
  
Ron stopped pacing and looked at Hermionie as she approached him.  
  
"Why, Miss Granger I do believe that you are trying to seduce me." He said in a silky voice  
  
"Always!" she replied as she kissed him.  
  
The next morning, Ron and Hermionie woke late and found that Harry and Ginny still weren't back. Hermionie was worried now; she knew if Harry and Ginny had spent the night together, they would have made certain that they were back before morning. By nine am, Ron was half convinced they had been kidnapped and half convinced Harry was holding Ginny hostage.  
  
They therefore spent all of Tuesday searching the entire castle for their friends; they decided that if they hadn't returned by Wednesday, Hermionie would go to Dumbledore and Ron would tell his mother that Ginny had gone missing.  
  
Exactly 24 hours after they began to float in the gold light, the elements returned to their original places and Harry and Ginny drifted back to the ground.  
  
Harry finally made it through the fog in his mind and he heard a voce saying  
  
*Ouch! That really hurt! I wonder if Harry knew it was going to hurt so – ow! Ok, note to self: don't stand up! Standing up is BAD! *  
  
He recognized that voice!  
  
*Gin? *  
  
*Oh! Harry you're awake! And you ok? You're-*  
  
*-Not speaking out loud! Gin? Can you hear me?*  
  
*Y-yes......... and you can hear me?*  
  
*Yes! The spell worked!* Harry ignored the ache in his muscles and stood up. He walked over to where she sat and pulled her into a kiss. As soon as they were together, the pain disappeared. They smiled into the kiss but had no intention of breaking it.  
  
This kiss was unlike any of the others they had shared, it filled them with a need for each other, it filled them with so much want and passion that they thought they would never break the kiss. Finally, the need fro oxygen forced them apart.  
  
They stared at each other, eyes filled with lust that they knew they shouldn't give in to. It took Ginny a minute to remember she possessed the ability to speak.  
  
"I –wow- that was.........incredible Harry!"  
  
"I know, but as much as I hate to say this, we- we cant-"  
  
"I know, don't worry, I know we cant" it was taking all of their resolve to maintain the distance between them. Harry glanced at his watch and stared in shock at the date.  
  
*Oh shit!!!*  
  
*What is it?*  
  
*Its Tuesday evening!*  
  
"WHAT?!?" Ginny said out loud  
  
*Sorry* she said in a sheepish voice in his mind.  
  
*Look, it'll be ok gin. We can go and find Ron and Hermionie and tell them that we-*  
  
*-We were called in to Dumbledore and he......let us use his library then we lost track of the time! *  
  
*Well, Ron'll believe it, but Hermionie wont, not for a second*  
  
*That's true, we have to tell her something else*  
  
*Well, she knows we're together gin!*  
  
*How does that – ooooooooooh of course! We can tell her we spent the night together! Then she wont ask and questions in front of Ron, she'll want the details from me though......... you have to get rid of Ron.*  
  
*Get rid of him?*  
  
*Yes, Hermionie and I will need to have a girlie night*  
  
Harry laughed out loud, her mind voice had taken on a tone of mock depression and she looked so serious!  
  
They made their was to the common room and Ron and Hermionie practically pounced on them when they entered. Hermionie pulled Ginny into a hug.  
  
"Mionie, its ok, I spent the night with Harry" she whispered in her friends ear  
  
Hermionie pulled away from Ginny and stared at her, eyes full or questions.  
  
Then, Harry spoke,  
  
"Ron, Mionie, you'll never believe what happened, we were in Dumbledore's library! We found a translation on the first chapter of the book and we wrote our essay!" it wasn't entirely a lie, they had written their essay as they translated the book. "Anyway, we are so sorry! We completely lost track of the time and only saw the clock when we finished writing."  
  
Ron nodded, he wasn't entirely convinced, but he decided to accept the story.  
  
"Ron? Fancy going flying?" Harry asked.  
  
*Subtle Harry!* laughed Ginny in his mind  
  
Harry grinned at her for, seemingly, no reason and Ron shot Hermionie a confused look as he followed Harry from the room.  
  
Half an hour later, at 9 pm, Ginny and Hermionie were sitting on one of the lilac sofas in their common room drinking hot chocolate.  
  
"So," Hermionie began, "you spent the night with Harry?"  
  
"Yes." Ginny said 'good Gin! Keep your answers short and simple, they you wont get mixed up.' Hermionie looked shocked.  
  
"B-But Ginny, you've only been together a few days isn't that a bit soon for-"  
  
"Oh! Mionie no! I didn't mean it like that! we only kissed! We didn't sleep together, don't worry."  
  
Hermionie let out a relieved sigh.  
  
"I'm glad. I mean, id understand if you had slept together. When i'm with Ron, its like we're the only people on earth and, I want it to stay that way for as long as possible."  
  
"I know! And when Harry and I kiss, I get this.........need for him and I, God, I want to give in to it!"  
  
"Yes but you know that you cant! As much as you're dying to, you cant!"  
  
They looked at each other and smiled, and then laughed at how similar their feelings were.  
  
About an hour later, the boys returned, hair still wet from the showers.  
  
"Are you ready Mionie?" Ron asked  
  
"Yep!"  
  
"Where are you going?" asked Harry  
  
"Back to the forest, I want to see if I can find the black fox, I think I saw some of its tracks. And-" she tried her best to suppress giggles " and Ron has to go howl at the full moon with the pack!"  
  
"Don't laugh Mionie! Its perfectly normal for wolves." but even as he spoke, he started to laugh as well. They waved to Harry and Ginny then left.  
  
*Alone again*  
  
*Not that i'm complaining! This has been one hell of a day!*  
  
*You can say that again!*  
  
"Mmmhmm" he said as he walked over to her. She smiled at him and pulled Harry to her.  
  
"God!" he said in the second before the need overwhelmed him and her crushed his lips to hers. The now ever-present need for each other was now even stronger than before.  
  
*How long do we have?* he broke away to answer,  
  
"I.......um-"  
  
*Don't stop Harry* he grinned and kissed her  
  
*I think we have about an hour*  
  
*Ok- we can't stay here though, if they come back and see us, Ron will probably kill you.* he broke the kiss.  
  
"We can go into my room. That way, when they come back, if you need to, you can put on the invisibility cloak and sneak back out of the room." They walked over to the room and closed the door.  
  
In the end, they didn't need the cloak, when they noticed an hour had passed, they went back into the common room and started playing exploding snap. Less than five minutes later, Ron and Hermionie came back.  
  
*We must have good timing Gin!*  
  
*It's a good thing too! I really don't want to be caught kissing by my big brother!*  
  
Ginny heard his mind voice laugh and she turned to Ron and Hermionie,  
  
"Hi guys! Sorry but i'm really tired. I was up reading all last night I have to sleep!"  
  
"Sure! That's fine I think the rest of us are turning in anyway," said Ron  
  
Over the next week, Harry and Ginny changed dramatically, Harry was taller and had added some muscle, he was much stronger than he looked. His eyes were an even more vivid green and his hair was still untamed. In short, he was gorgeous!  
  
Ginny was also taller, she had a toned body and a new grace about her movements and her hair grew almost to her waist. She grew into her beauty and now she and Harry looked to be about 23 years old.  
  
Harry and Ginny knew their change was because of the spell but the strange thing was, Ron and Hermionie had also begun to mature, though, nowhere near as fast as Harry and Ginny had.  
  
By Christmas day, Harry and Ginny had accepted that the change was permanent and that they were going to stay 23.  
  
For Christmas, Ron received a BLUEBOLT (it was the equivalent of the firebolt only it was designed for keepers.) and a broomstick servicing kit bought by the others. Ginny and Harry bought Hermionie a bracelet, it was gold and studded with sapphires. Ron bought her a heart shaped necklace with a sapphire at its center. Ron and Hermionie bought Ginny a pair of emerald earrings and Harry bought her a necklace with a silver pentacle on it. The pentacle has an emerald at each point. Harry received a clock like the one at the Weasleys, which could be fixed onto the inside of his trunks lid. It had hands for the four of them along with the rest of the Weasleys, Lupin and Hagrid. They all loved their presents and enjoyed this Christmas more than any other. They spent almost all of Boxing Day in a furious snowball fight, they returned to the castle cold, wet and happy.  
  
On the last day of the holiday before the other pupils returned, Ron and Hermionie left Harry and Ginny to go back into the forest. Seconds after Ron closed the door leading into Gryffindor tower Harry and Ginny were kissing. They had made it into Harry's room before they kissed but only just. As soon as Ginny passed through the door, Harry closed it and pushed her up against it. His kiss was full of emotion, she could tell how much he wanted her and at that moment, Ginny wanted him just as much, her brain wasn't focusing on anything other than the kiss and she didn't care, she knew Harry was in a similar sate. Harry slid his hand under her shirt and she moaned at the feel of his hands against her skin, they crossed the room and sat on the bed, Ginny straddling Harry without once breaking the smoldering kiss. Then, there was a loud bang and they jumped apart, filled with dread, they turned to see Ron standing in the doorway. 


	12. found out

Firstly, I'd like to thank my readers for waiting for this chapter.  
  
For all of you that don't know, I have glandular fever.  
  
Which, by the way, is less than fun! I was *yellow* and I couldn't stay awake for more than about 3 hrs a day!  
  
I am feeling better now, but the evil GF is going to hang around for 2 YEARS!  
  
Anyway, I'm not sure how fast my updates are going to be, I have my GCSE's coming up, my fires exam is in about 4 weeks and my last exam isn't until the 22nd of June. I will not forget about wings! Don't worry.  
  
I AM ALSO PAINFULLY AWARE OF THE COMPLEATE LAMENESS OF THE ARGUMENT BETWEEN Harry AND Ron, ALL I CAN DO IS APOLOGISE.  
  
Elizabeth - thanks for the review! I'm glad you like Wings so much!  
  
Lady Phoenix Slytherin - thanks for the review!  
  
Helena – thanks for the review! I hope this chapter will make it cleared for you  
  
Elven Emma – thanks for the review! Hehehe I'm glad you liked it!  
  
SWnotes2 - thanks for the review! Ummmm, the story is actually rated R because there is a lot of violence in later chapters, and also rape, and I'm not exactly sure how the American ratings work. In England, I think my story would be rated as 15 but I had to guess what that would be in terms of pg-13 and R.  
  
Eris, queen of the shadows – wow! Thanks for the review! I'm glad you like my obsession (commonly called wings) p.s I love your name  
  
Sean – look, I'm sorry if you think I should be writing more, but I'm going as fast as I can.  
  
Dark Forces Within – thanks for the review! I hope this chapter explains it better.  
  
Emily – thank you for the review! I really liked the idea of the tattoos too! Personally, I like it best when Harry gets a tattoo, but it's your fic! Have fun with it!  
  
The one above all – thanks for the review! I'm sorry about the evilness of the cliffie!  
  
Maria – thanks for reviewing! LOL you sound a bit hyper! But hey, that's a good thing! Enjoy!!!  
  
Ginny Weasley fan – hi again! Thanks for the review! Don't worry; no one dies in my fic.  
  
GhostOfYoda – thanks for the review! No threats needed, here is the chapter. Also I LOVE YOU THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!  
  
This chapter is dedicated to you, GhostofYoda for his INCREDIBLE ability to write Dumbledore..........................(or perhaps that you ARE Dumbledore in disguise!)  
  
There was a moment of absolute silence and stillness: not one of the three moved. Then, Ron drew in a deep shuddering breath.  
  
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?????"  
  
Ron cast his eyes over Harry, lying on the bed, and the shirtless Ginny who was straddling him. Ginny suddenly seemed to realize what was happening and moved herself off the bed and started to look for her shirt. As soon as she moved, two things happened, Hermionie entered the room and Ron threw Harry out of it.  
  
Ginny hardly had time to realize what happened before Ron slammed the door leaving Hermionie and Ginny alone.  
  
"What on EARTH does he think he's doing?" Ginny said in a deadly quiet voice. "I'm hoping you can tell me I just hallucinated 'mionie. I'm hoping you can tell me that MY BROTHER did not just do that!"  
  
Hermionie walked over to her friend and sat down beside her "I wont agree with what Ron's doing, but he thinks he's acting for the best."  
  
".......For the best" repeated Ginny, disbelieving "for the best? He just threw the man I love out of this room, he just interfered in my life, he just proved that he doesn't trust my judgment!"  
  
"Look, I know he-"  
  
"He treated me like a child, all this year, we have been equals, and now I'm a child to him, he has to pick who I can date? Will he start telling me who I'm allowed to talk to? Will he stop me from blinking at the wrong time??? What's next?"  
  
"Ginny, I know why you think that, but surely you can see that you're overreacting? Ron isn't taking control, he's trying not to loose you!"  
  
After Ron pulled Harry out of the room, he slammed him against the wall.  
  
"How COULD you betray me like that?"  
  
Harry's eyes widened at his words and he began to get angry with his 'friend'  
  
"How could you take advantage of her like that?"  
  
Harry was far too angry to speak now, if he did, he knew he would regret it.  
  
"I TRUSTED you as my friend"  
  
That was too much, Harry pushed Ron away form him and said:  
  
"Trust? You trusted me? So you DON'T trust me to date Ginny, you don't think I'm good enough for her? I saved her LIFE Ron! Doesn't that mean something to you?"  
  
"You would have saved whoever was in the chamber, and you know that!"  
  
"How can you know that?"  
  
"Because you're you! The whole world thinks you're a hero, and you've you started to believe them! So you think because you're a hero, you can do what you like!"  
  
Harry stopped shouting and he said, in a voice barely above a whisper, "Ron, is that really what you think of me?"  
  
There was a long pause, "no, no that's not what I think, it's just...............imagine if I dated YOUR sister."  
  
"I don't have a sister"  
  
"But imagine you did, imagine that to her, you were a hero. All because you could be there when she had nightmares after her first year, or, stop Fred and George testing sweets on her. Because every time she had a problem, or was in trouble, I was there to help her."  
  
"That wont change! You're ALWAYS going to be her brother."  
  
"Don't you see? It HAS changed. You're her knight in shining armour; you saved her in first year, and now your riding off into the sunset with her on a white horse. As her brother, I can't compete with that."  
  
"You don't have to. You think I'm going to replace you? I could never do that. You will always be the one that's there for her..........I'm just your backup. Ron, there's a very real chance that I wont be around for much longer and then, you will STILL be there for her."  
  
"You really love her, don't you." It wasn't a question.  
  
"How could I not? I'd die for her Ron. I wont let her get hurt."  
  
"Well then, I guess I'm ok with this. But just spare me the details, alright? Then I can pretend I don't know what's going on!"  
  
After the truce was called, Harry and Ron went back to talk to the girls, no one mentioned the fight or the fact that Ginny and Harry were dating, the subject was ignored and life continued as normal.  
  
Nothing out of the ordinary happened over the next few days, and the last of the tension, which was lingering from the fight, dissipated, and left the group back to normal. Half way through charms after watching Ron and Hermionie try to place the fidelius charm on a cushion. This time they almost succeeded in performing the spell but twenty minutes into the thirty- minute chant, their concentration broke. Flitwick was astounded by their progress and awarded them 40 points because it had taken him a year to get that far with the charm. Filled with renewed determination, they continued their work as Flitwick left them and walked over to Harry and Ginny to find out if their translation of the book was accurate. (They neglected to tell their teacher of their success with the charm, because, they weren't entirely sure what it had done to them.) Surprisingly, none of the teachers had noticed that both Harry and Ginny now looked to be 23, and they suspected that the charm was stopping the people that didn't know about the performance of the charm from seeing the change.  
  
Because charms was the last class of the day, Ron and Hermionie decided to stay behind at the end and attempt the spell again. So, five minutes later, Harry and Ginny arrived back at their common room to find that there was a note on their table.  
  
*Who's it from? * Ginny asked as Harry scanned the letter  
  
Harry's mind voice sighed before answering *Its Dumbledore, he-err he wants to see us.*  
  
*When? *  
  
*Now, he says it's urgent* Harry looked up into Ginny's eyes  
  
*He knows, about the charm, doesn't he? *  
  
In spite of his worry, he grinned at her, "without a doubt, Gin"  
  
They left the private common room and walked through the castle until they reached the gargoyle.  
  
*Harry? Why have we stopped?*  
  
*Oh! I forgot you hadn't been here before, this is the entrance to Professor Dumbledore's office*  
  
*Oh, ok*  
  
*Now, this is the fun part*  
  
*Yea, 'cos staring at a stone gargoyle, top of my fun-ness list* she smiled as Harry laughed at her words.  
  
*We have to guess the password.....its usually some kind of sweet* he thought for a moment then said "sherbet lemon?"  
  
The gargoyle didn't move  
  
"Bertie Botts every flavour beans?"  
  
"Canary crèmes?" ventured Ginny with a giggle  
  
Ten minutes and about a hundred sweets later, Harry finally guessed the password  
  
"Everlasting Gobstoppers?" the gargoyle sprung to life and moved aside. Harry led the way up the spiral staircase half listening to Ginny's silent ranting about 'men with far too much time on their hands.' They entered the office to see Dumbledore sat waiting for them, me motioned for them to sit in the two chairs in front of his desk.  
  
"You wanted to see us, sir?" asked Harry  
  
"Yes. Harry, Ginny, I'm afraid I have not been totally honest with you."  
  
"What do you mean, sir?" Ginny said looking just as puzzled as Harry felt.  
  
"I shall start from the beginning. Back in September, when you, just like your fellow students, were receiving your assignments from Professor Flitwick, there was much more at stake than marks towards your NEWTs. You were, in truth, selected by the book to perform the Iunctura Anima charm for a higher purpose."  
  
After a silent conversation about who would do it, Harry asked:  
  
"But what exactly does the charm do - I mean, apart from making us older?"  
  
"The charm is an ancient and complex one, that will hide its effects on the casters of the spell from all who do not know it has been casted. I can't pretend to understand it fully, as it was devised by wizards more powerful than I. On a simple level, however, it could be seen a joining spell; it joins the casters of the charm on three levels - in mind, in spirit and in body." Dumbledore replied, eyes twinkling.  
  
"But, sir, what does that have to do with Harry and I suddenly growing older?"  
  
"I daresay I should have warned you of this before, but the spell is an extremely powerful one. You see, your bodies have aged in order to cope with the increased level of magics flowing through them. Magics that have already given you special abilities, such as the gift of telepathy with each other."  
  
*How does he know these things?*  
  
*I don't know, maybe he reads minds?*  
  
*O yea, that makes me feel tonnes better! Think what else he could know!*  
  
*You, mister Potter, are paranoid* Ginny said as she hid her smile behind her hand.  
  
"Does this spell do anything else?" Harry asked the question he was dying to find the answer to.  
  
"Alas, yes. The telepathy is merely a fusion of your minds. However, the elements have now tied your spirits together. By all means this could be regarded as good news. You will be able to strengthen each others in ways you never expected. Unfortunately, this means that if any misfortune falls upon one of you, the other will suffer as well. The spell, just as it joins you in life, joins you in death."  
  
There was a moment of shocked silence, before,  
  
"That's not a problem." Harry said  
  
*Excuse me?!?*  
  
*Gin, if you were ever to die, I'd no longer have a reason to live.*  
  
*I feel the same way about you.* Ginny assured him  
  
"Finally," Dumbledore said, snapping their attention away from their conversation, "there is a third component to this spell which must be completed, otherwise the effects could prove to be fatal. You have already joined in mind and spirit, you see, but you must also be joined in body. I will leave this to your interpretation, but I warn you, do not delay unnecessarily, for you are rapidly running out of time."  
  
After a few seconds, both Harry and Ginny blushed slightly as they realised what their headmaster was saying.  
  
Dumbledore smiled at them both, "well, good day to you both, I trust that I will see you again in a few weeks time, after your bond has fully settled itself."  
  
Harry and Ginny left his office running over the new information they had been told.  
  
*Well* Harry said *on the upside, I bet we're the only people that have been told they have to sleep together in Hogwarts history*  
  
They couldn't help but laugh at that.  
  
They wandered past the other Gryffindors in the common room and proceeded to their own, private common room, thankful that they could talk mind to mind, and so, there was no chance they would be overheard. They went into Harry's room and found a note from Ron saying that he and Hermionie were both in the forest and probably wouldn't be back until lunch tomorrow.  
  
"That's lucky." Said Harry as he passed the note to Ginny. They sat together on the sofa, facing the fire, Harry's arm around Ginny's waist. They sat in silence for a few minutes, until Harry softly kissed her at the same second Ginny pulled herself towards him, craving Harry's touch. That same lust and need that was always present between the two increased to the point that all thoughts were driven from Harry and Ginny's minds as they were overcome with passion. Suddenly, a thought floated into Ginny's mind:  
  
*I guess this explains the.....need I have for you, if the spell was only half completed*  
  
*Yea I s'pose so................ Look, Gin, From what Dumbledore said, this doesn't sound like the kind of thing we can put off, but I want you to tell me if this is too fast* his mind voice was soft and Ginny stared into Harry's eyes, from her position below him. (At some point, they had lay down on the bed, but neither of them could remember moving.) Ginny saw unconditional love in his eyes and she knew he saw the same thing in hers.  
  
*Harry, I love you*  
  
*I know you do gin, and I love you too, but - *  
  
*Harry, I love you, let me prove that to you.* she grinned devilishly at him with lust-filled eyes and pulled Harry into a smouldering kiss that sent fire through their veins as they gave in to the incredible feelings, and joined soul, mind and body.  
  
I feel like I really should apologise for the lateness of this chapter again......and also for the cheesiness of that last paragraph!  
  
Please tell me what you think!  
*Tris* 


	13. out of control

Hello! I'm so sorry about how long it's been since I updated! Anyone living in England will probably know, but it's the GCSE's at the moment. (Which I'm CONVINCED stands for Greatly Cretinous Scary Exams or something equally stupid) So everyone in year 11 has to take them (that includes me.) I'm currently about a quarter of the way through mine and I cant wait for them to be over! Exams and glandular fever are not fun together!!!  
  
So, I'm spending all of my time revising or taking tests so I have hardly any time to write! Cries  
  
GhostOfYoda – I'm really happy that you liked the chapter! I'm sure your heart isn't steel; you're just too manly to admit it! Gasp you really ARE Dumbledore!!!!  
  
Fair-Faye-Kahlan – I'm flattered that you've not only read wings, but also RE read it! I wasn't sure weather anyone would like the vamp Harry thing but I loved the idea so I decided to write it, its nice to see that someone agrees with me! =D  
  
Bec – I have to agree with you, I had wanted to write a fight between Ron and Harry but I just couldn't write it, it just seemed wrong when I tried. Hmmmmm maybe I should get lessons in how to write violence? =p (I'm glad you didn't think it was too cheesy)  
  
Maria – I am sorry that my updates are soooooooooo slow! They WILL get faster soon. Glad you liked the chapter!  
  
Eris, Queen of the Shadows – Greek Goddess of Discord? Sounds fun! I'm glad you like the story (and the smut)! Don't worry, I will keep writing and Wings will get longer!  
  
Elizabeth – hehehe I'm a hopeless romantic too! I'm glad you're enjoying the story!  
  
The One above All – I am sorry about the cheesiness, hope it wont put you off the story!  
  
Rubyqueen17 – wow! I'm flattered! Thanks!  
  
Blinklee – I'm really not all that great, I just have waaaaaay too many random thoughts! Wings is just my ideal story, I love that I can have anything happen as long as it makes sense in the story, so I'm really glad when people find it who look for the same thinks in a story that I look for.  
  
Dark Forces Within – thanks, that's so kind of you! I was happy to explain the charm and I'm glad you don't mind the cheesiness!  
  
Lucugirl07 – I'm glad you like my story!  
  
Sarl – I'm sorry about not posting, I just have a lot on at the moment.  
  
Kittykat – I'm glad you think Wings is good! I have a lot to do at the moment, which is why my updates are so slow, I'm sorry.  
  
Polaris – hehehe I'm glad you like it! I'm sorry but Ron and Hermione don't find out for a while yet.  
  
The evil chambermaid – that is a brilliant name! You know, my English teacher tells me that I'm bad at description! He says my weak point is creative writing. But, if I could write fanfic on my GSCE, I'd be fine! =D I hope your heart isn't broken! If it is, gives a magic heart-mending cookie eat that! =D  
  
Lozzie – hehehe glad you like it!!! I was sort of upset with the death because it didn't seem like he had died, just like he had been transported somewhere! (There's more about the death than there seems in Wings) I actually love Lucius Malfoy, which is sort of strange, but hey, I definitely think his voice is unbelievably sexy! I'm sorry for not updating.  
  
Elven-emma – glad you're still reading wings! You're in chapter 23.  
  
Sambow24 – thanks for the review!  
  
Merlin's Lost Quill – wow! I LOVE your name! Thanks for pointing out my mistake; I hadn't even realized I had been writing Hermionie instead of Hermione!  
  
Shdurrani – thanks! You're right; the fusion is in this chapter, and for all those interested, the fact that Harry drank Ginny's blood started the bond, which is why they are now desperate to be together!  
  
Elijah'stheone – I really am sorry about not updating, it takes me all evening to write a chapter and I haven't had the time lately.  
  
Tangent, who else could I dedicate this chapter to? Thank you so much for all your help!  
  
FOR SOME REASON, THE STARS I USE TO SHOW MIND SPEECH ARENT SHOWING UP SO......  
  
"" is normal speech  
  
' ' is mind speech  
  
Ok, that's enough of me...here's the chapter ........................................................................................................  
  
Ginny was right. Harry was paranoid. He had spent most of the day away from Ginny, only engaging in a few mid lessons telepathic conversations. This had become a regular occurrence for the most boring lessons, and the interesting ones were the ones they spent with each other. Harry was already planning in his mind, and had to be careful he didn't broadcast his thoughts to Ginny.  
  
"After all," He thought, "I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise." He also found every second that he spent away from Ginny seemed like an hour. His eyes darted to his watch every few seconds, his soul gradually dying with every passing moment. He found that his time with Ginny was never enough and he burned for her touch or the music of her voice to reach his ears. His heart pumped harder whenever he thought he heard her name, and he heard it everywhere. His mind read everything differently and his eyes only showed grey whenever she was not there.  
  
After the final class of they day Ginny rushed back to the common room. She did not get changed, which was normally her first thing to do. Instead she sat down in one of the common room chairs and began her homework, staying in the robes she had worn for the day. She waited for Harry but he did not enter. She waited for nearly an hour, as she sunk gradually lower and lower in the chair. But still he did not come. She put one arm round the books, pens and parchment and pulled them into her bag. She shuffled towards her dormitory. As she turned the handle of the door a magical arrow flew past her right ear and embedded its self in the woodwork. Ginny removed the note and watched as the arrow disappeared. As she unrolled it she heard Harry's voice whisper in her ear,  
  
"Meet me in the common room at eleven. Don't wake Hermione." She felt her heart warm, and her mouth curled up slightly at the edges. She pushed open the door and was greeted by the sight of Ron and Hermione lips locked. She walked in and shut the door hard. The pair flew apart both went bright red.  
  
Harry looked over at Ron, who was lying on his side, muttering Hermione's name every other word. This brought a smile to Harry's face as he pulled the invisibility cloak from under his bed. He stepped out into a pair of slippers, which had been well placed just a few hours before. These dampened the sound of Harry's escape and he wandered down the corridor towards the common room. He saw Ginny standing illuminated in the centre of the room. Her every beauty was highlighted by the light of the moon and her very few flaws seamed erased. She shook with the cold. Harry glided forward, like some kind of moonlit angel and wrapped the cloak and his arms round Ginny. Ginny relaxed into his arms and he lent over and kissed the side of her neck.  
  
"We have to go quickly." He said, as he flipped the cloak over himself and Ginny.  
  
"Ok!" She breathed out. They moved quickly, under the cloak, and soon arrived at a door. Harry looked up and said,  
  
"Give us somewhere peaceful and comfortable to stay." Ginny looked at him oddly,  
  
"But Harry this isn't the room of requirement."  
  
"Good things come to those who wait Gin." Harry said as he pushed open the door.  
  
The room inside was covered with padding and pillows, as well as different coloured sheets. Harry guided Ginny inside and pulled the cloak off. Ginny gasped at the room.  
  
"I totally forgive you for not seeing me after class today!" She said in amazement. Harry slipped his arms round her waste and replied,  
  
"Well I chose every colour. One has to be your favourite!" The both laughed at this and she turned round and kissed him. He was not expecting this and when she pushed him he fell dragging her to land on top of him. She looked down and went to kiss him again. He grabbed her wrists and pushed her sideways. She landed next to him and he put his hand on the inside of her knee. He pulled her closer and moved his face closer to hers. She met him with fiery kiss, which sent his blood boiling. He moved his hand further up her leg and she let out a small moan. Harry slightly flustered stopped for a second before carrying on. Ginny pushed her lips close to his ear and whispered, "If you love me, then love me."  
  
As the first light flickered in through the windows Harry opened his eyes. He still had Ginny in her arms and she shivered slightly. He pulled a sheet over them both. Ginny gripped his hand tighter in thanks. He whispered in her ear,  
  
"Don't worry. It is Saturday, there are no classes." Ginny pushed herself closer to him,  
  
"I love you Harry." She replied.  
  
"I love you too." Harry responded "But we should get back to the Dorm's before Ron and Hermione wake up." Ginny only nodded in agreement, but secretly neither of them wanted to leave.  
  
They opened the door and started to wander through the castle, delaying the moment they would have to meet Ron and Hermione.  
  
'How can we tell them?' Ginny sighed 'Its not as if I can start a conversation with Hermionie by saying 'guess what I did last night, or should I say, who!' '  
  
Harry looked at her, saw the worry in her eyes and pulled her to him. 'We won't tell them.' he kissed her and felt her knees give way. He laughed gently.  
  
Once Ginny had pulled her mind back to the present, she said 'we cant just not tell them anything, they'll know we weren't in the tower'  
  
'Yes, but they don't have to know we were together; I can go back now and take Ron flying. Then, when Ron and I have left the common room, you can go in and talk to Hermione.'  
  
'But then, what will you tell Ron?'  
  
'Err...that I was with Dumbledore.'  
  
'Why Dumbledore?'  
  
'Because Ron knows that Dumbledore is the only one in the castle, besides Snape, that could teach me occlumency. So ill just tell him that's what I was doing.'  
  
'Well, if you're sure that he'll believe you...'  
  
'I am, don't worry, gin.'  
  
'Ok. Ill tell Hermione I was...... with Nellie, Rachel and Laura. She wont question that, she knows I've been wanting to catch up with them for ages.'  
  
By now they had reached the door, which let to the private common room.  
  
'I love you Gin' Harry said just before he swiftly kissed her then walked into the common room. Ginny hid in the shadows and waited for Ron and Harry to leave, which they did, after about ten minutes. Ginny then walked into the common room and sat down on the lilac sofa next to Hermione.  
  
They talked for the rest of the day only stopping to go down to dinner. Harry and Ron came back to the common room at about eight and joined in the conversation.  
  
"Ginny and I have been thinking, we should redecorate our rooms." Said Hermione glancing over at the boys.  
  
"We just think" Ginny continued "that the rooms aren't really, well, us. I mean, they're nice an all, they're just a bit..."  
  
"Impersonal?" supplied Harry  
  
"Exactly!" said Hermione "I found a book full of charms to help us, and it'd be something to do, life seems a bit dull lately."  
  
Then, Ron shocked them all with his suggestion that "maybe I could share a room with 'mione? I mean, if you're all ok with it." he sent an almost pleading look to Hermione.  
  
"Of course its ok with me! You should have asked me sooner!" she gushed as she hugged Ron.  
  
'Harry? Do you mind if ...... I mean, if you'd like to...... its ok if you don't ...'  
  
'Gin, of course I want to share a room with you! How could you think that I don't?'  
  
She blushed 'you just don't look very excited'  
  
'Ah, well that's because if I'm too enthusiastic, I think Ron might kill me'  
  
They couldn't help it, Harry and Ginny both started to laugh earning a questioning glance from Hermione and a 'are you both insane?!' look from Ron.  
  
"I – er – sorry" muttered Harry.  
  
They spent most of Saturday looking for any charms that might help them and the added to the ones in Hermione's book. On Monday, they spent all morning in the library researching their animals for Defense Against the Dark Arts they were all about half way through their essays. Then, after lunch, the four went to transfiguration to find Professor Flitwick waiting for them.  
  
"Hello all!" he greeted them in an almost scarily cheerful voice. "Professor McGonagall is going to see each of you in your pairs, so everyone can work on their Charms while they wait to be called. Once I call your names, you will go through that door" he pointed "and professor McGonagall will be waiting for you."  
  
The four exchanged questioning looks and Harry and Ginny spent the better part of an hour debating what they would have to do before Hermione and Ron were called. They watched as their friends left through a side door and whispered "good luck" as they passed.  
  
'Just us now' Harry commented as Chris and Andy (two of Ginny's fellow 5th years) disappeared through the door.  
  
'Yep, alone again mister Potter' she grinned  
  
'Just the way I like it!'  
  
'Harry, we're in class!' she laughed  
  
'Hey, a guy can dream.' he smiled at her then Flitwick told them it was their turn  
  
They packed away their parchments, books and quills and walked over to the door, Ginny subconsciously grasping Harry's hand for support. As the door closed behind them, they found themselves in a completely white room. There was no furniture or windows or, well, anything other than several pillars placed around the room. Professor McGonagall was standing in the center of the room and she beckoned them to her.  
  
"This is the last task for your NEWT coursework. In the other tasks, you two managed to incorporate various other spells into your transfiguration. The purpose if this task is to determine how far your skills in transfiguration extend."  
  
'This can't be fun' Harry's voice whispered in Ginny's mind  
  
'It could be fun, it wont be easy.' she replied  
  
"Each of you needs to summon the veil of the moon, then, if you can, you must change the nature of your partners cloak so that it will enhance their natural abilities for the next 24 hours. That means, if this works, you both may be able to run faster, or see further for example, for the next day. Good look. I will return in an hour to see how much you have managed." With that, McGonagall walked out of a door that appeared in the wall.  
  
Harry and Ginny stood in stunned silence for a few seconds before the nature of their task sunk in.  
  
'Well, it could be worse.'  
  
'Yea I suppose so....Harry, do you know how to change the cloaks?'  
  
'Not really, Gin' he said as they moved into the center of the room and sat facing each other. 'We'll work that out once we have the cloaks.'  
  
'Yea, ok' she smiled.  
  
"Voco Velo Luna!" the two voices echoed oddly around the room as the black cloak with a panther and golden griffin embroidered on it appeared next to Harry and a black cloak with the same panther and a war unicorn emblazoned across the fabric appeared next to Ginny.  
  
'Well, now for the hard part' Ginny said.  
  
'Do you have any idea how to do this?'  
  
'Well' she thought for a minute 'when we did the iunctura anima spell, the elements made us stronger...'  
  
'So' Harry realized what she was thinking 'maybe we can use them to enhance the cloaks' power?'  
  
'Yes, then when we put on the cloaks, we would just have to think of...what did professor McGonagall say? Enhancing out natural abilities'  
  
'Well, I don't have any other ideas, so yea, that's our best plan, lets try it.'  
  
'You could at least TRY to sound enthusiastic' she laughed  
  
'Sorry Gin. I'm going to try and summon the elements, you'd better stand back' she shot him a reassuring smile as she moved away from the center of the room.  
  
Then Harry spoke in that same voice filled with power he had used when he performed the iunctura anima spell. "Voco Terra! Aeris! Ignis! Aqua! IUNCTUS!"  
  
Then, in a circle around Harry, the elements flared into life. Facing north, there was a wall of earth, south, a wall of fire, east, a wall of air and west, a wall of water. The walls reached the ceiling of the huge room and Ginny bit back a scream as they appeared.  
  
Harry felt as though the elements were ripping through him, tearing him apart and he couldn't hold on to them for much longer. With strength of will he didn't know he possessed, Harry managed to send a plea for help to Ginny.  
  
Outside the circle of elements, Ginny heard Harry frantically call her name and despite her fear of the power of the elements, she walked through the wall of fire. For a split second, all she could see and hear were the hungry flames, they called out to her and something inside her answered them. Then, she was through the flames and at Harry's side. Harry had fallen to his knees and she fell to hers opposite him. She reached out and took his hands but Harry didn't seem to realize she was there. Ginny felt for the bond connecting them and found Harry blocked from her. Furious, she fought against the barrier with her magic, but it was no use. Finally, because she could think of nothing else to do, Ginny kissed Harry. The second their lips touched, the elements that were still tearing through Harry moved through Ginny too. She mentally screamed in pain and Harry heard her and snapped back to reality. Together, without breaking the kiss, they forced the elements into submission. The walls around them shrank, and together, Harry and Ginny coaxed the power of the elements into the two cloaks that lay next to them. When they had put enough power into the cloaks to make them do what was asked of them, they broke the kiss. Neither Harry nor Ginny wanted to move apart so they stayed as they were: kneeling down bodies pressed together and faces centimeters apart.  
  
As they stared into each other's eyes, Ginny said 'that was ...... terrifying!'  
  
'I know, I'm so sorry Gin; I hadn't meant to call that much power. Hell, I didn't know I COULD call that much power'  
  
'I know Harry; I know you didn't mean to. I just......for a moment there, I thought I'd lost you!' Harry brushed away the tear that fell down her cheek and kissed her. The kiss was sweet and gentle, making sure she was alright, and Ginny gave into it and it became more passionate, they were desperate with a need for each other fueled by the fire coursing through them.  
  
Then abruptly, Harry pulled away from Ginny, staring at something behind her. Full of dread, Ginny turned to see Professor McGonagall standing there.  
  
'Ah......that's......not good' Ginny said through the bond.  
  
"Mister potter, miss Weasley" said a very white Professor McGonagall "you...... what you have just done is not possible! No one could survive the elements like that! You should not be able to!"  
  
"Perhaps...we were just...um...lucky, professor" ventured Ginny  
  
"I am well aware that there is something that you are not telling me. I hope however that this ...luck... has something to do with the headmaster informing me to expect strange things from you two."  
  
Harry and Ginny glanced at each other. "It does, professor" said Harry  
  
"Well then, I will pretend, for your sake, that I saw none of it."  
  
"Thank you professor." Ginny said  
  
"I assure you, you are quite welcome. I daresay that I would have a hard time convincing anyone besides the headmaster that you survived after summoning all of the elements at the same time." She took a moment to calm herself, and then she continued. "I suggest that you try on your cloaks."  
  
Harry reached for the cloaks and passed Ginny hers. He realized as he held up the cloaks that there were now four thin lines around the hem of the cloaks, a green for earth, a pale blue for air, a red for fire and a deep blue for water.  
  
Ginny put her cloak on first and whispered, "enhance my natural abilities." Then, the red thread flared around the end of her cloak and the gold in Ginny's hair and nails shone. She took the cloak off to reveal wings of fire on her back identical to the ones Harry had conjured for her costume.  
  
Then Harry drew his cloak on and Ginny saw the green thread flare into life before Harry's eyes turned red for a second before returning to their normal vibrant green and his fangs re-appeared. He took off the cloak and swiftly disappeared into a shadow in the corner of the room then reappeared behind Ginny, stepping out of a shadow cast by a pillar.  
  
"This could be fun" he whispered into her ear, causing her to shiver  
  
"Professor?" Harry asked "I thought the cloak would enhance our natural abilities, why are we back in our costumes?"  
  
"As I understand it, when you created your costumes, they left a part of them behind. The cloak saw that and chose to enhance that part of you."  
  
"So" Ginny said as she flew into the air "this will only last for a day?"  
  
"Yes, Miss Weasley" smiled Professor McGonagall. "So I suggest you enjoy it while you can."  
  
She then ushered Harry and Ginny out of the room. Once professor McGonagall had left, Harry pulled Ginny into a searing kiss and pulled her with him through the shadows and outside to the lake. 


	14. Into The Dark

**Firstly and most importantly I am so sorry that I had to stop writing wings for so long. I could tell you all the reasons but to be honest I doubt you're that interested. So here's the next chapter**

**There are going to be a few slightly shorter chapters I think but they will get longer again.**

**Tris**

GhostOfYoda - thanks again for your continued support and nagging to get me to write

Blue-Angels-Wings - thanks and sorry its taken me so long

Lozzie - I hope you'll still be around to read this

elijah'stheone - thank you and again, sorry about the wait

Eris, Queen of the Shadows – I'm glad you liked the balance of that scene and thanks for telling me about the glitch!

supergirl036996 – I'm going to stick with the rating just in case and because Wings gets violent in later chapters so the warning is partly for that

Silver Wolf – wow thank you so much for your review! I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you

Mr Blader X – hehehe I can relate to being told to get off the computer at 2am!

Elizabeth - hopefully I'll be able to write again now

Dark Forces Within – thanks )

The One above All – glad you enjoyed it!

Mudblood Pride – Harry isn't all vampire, he's still partially human, but some of it stuck. He couldn't be all vamp because of the sunlight thing, sorry, but as for the animagus forms, keep reading!

Katie – wow thanks! I'm always worried about the level of fluff, glad you approve!

volleypickle16 – thanks, that's really kind! I hope I don't let you down with my sleep deprived writing at 4am!

Iana Moon - glad you like it!

Kaleena Mason – I hope you keep reading then )

yourmom270 - hahahahaha

Lochar – the spell is designed to last 24 hours no matter what; the amount of power put in usually determines what happens to the castor for that day.

Fancy Azilum – here you go )

Bloodless Ace – I hope you like the rest!

Gohan00 – sorry for the wait

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Sean Albright – sorry it took so long

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By the time Ginny got outside, the spell seemed to have changed her all it was going to and she now stood in the same outfit she'd worn to Halloween and she has the wings and the powers that went with it. Smiling to herself, she decided to stretch her wings.

After about two minutes of flying over the lake, Ginny realised she'd lost Harry. There was a golden glow around her and by concentrating, she lit up the night to her eyes; no one else would see a thing. But Harry still wasn't there. After a few more minutes in which she found that she couldn't talk mind to mind with Harry because of the spell, she flew to the top of the north tower thinking that there was the best view from there.

She stood, still glowing faintly gold and looked out over the grounds. She watched a herd of thestrals dart through the trees at the edge of the forest and for the second time she nearly slipped on the hem of her dress as she watched the creatures disappear. Sighing in frustration, Ginny decided she had to change the dress. She ripped away most of the skirt so she could at least walk and then turned the dress pitch black.

In the time it took to do all that she decided to go into the common room to look for Harry. Concentrating, she pulled all her power back into herself until she looked more or less normal, then she made her way through the school.

"Ginny…"

She gasped and span round so fast her vision blurred for a second. There was no one there. The corridors were all deserted

"I know you can hear me."

She gasped again; there was no way she was imagining that whisper. It felt like the brush of silk and leather against her skin, like she could reach out and touch the voice.

She heard a low, rich, laugh that made her shiver violently and her knees go weak. Then she realised who was laughing; Harry had obviously found his powers.

"Come to me" he whispered to her.

She turned, half hypnotised by his voice "I… where are you?"

"Come to me" this time she followed the voice.

Without realising it, she walked back through the castle and back into the grounds. She stood in the centre of the lawn listening again for Harry's whisper when he seized her from behind. She screamed in shock and he laughed again. The laugh from a distance had been incredible, but hearing it for real was… something else entirely. She lost her control and her power flared over her skin again as Harry pulled her roughly against him and carried her back to the top of North Tower.

"You… where were you?" Ginny whispered as she stared into his eyes

"Watching" Harry smiled, showing his fangs, and kissed her. Then Ginny realised that he's had to stay away from her until he could control himself.

"You'll burn." Said Ginny as she pushed herself away from him, there was no way she could control her powers if he kissed her again.

"I am, on the inside" he smirked and said, "Your powers cant burn me, its safe."

"Good" they kissed again more passionately than before and when Harry reluctantly drew back from Ginny, she struggled to find her voice. "This is only temporary, isn't it?"

"Yes, it's not like the costumes, this will end when everyone else's powers fade."

"Then… will you … will you bite me again?" she looked down, embarrassed

"What?" Harry didn't dare believe what he'd heard. He was sure he would never feel the same way again as when he had bitten her after the ball; it had been the most intense and amazing thing he had ever experienced, but he had thought she'd been hurt.

"Will you bite me again?" she repeated, meeting his eyes.

"It didn't hurt?"

"Well, it did, but…" she sighed and her eyed drifted shut as she remembered. "I just want to feel it again."

Harry closed the space between them and trailed his hands up her arms until he let one caress her neck as she turned her head to expose herself to him. He slid his other arm around her waist, supporting her effortlessly, and felt her gasp and arch against him as he bit down.

It was, maybe and hour later, when Ginny and Harry became aware that someone was shouting them. Sliding his arms more firmly around Ginny, Harry moved them into the shadow cast by the tower and they emerged out of the castle's shadow about a metre in front of Hermione and Ron.

"Thought it was you!" grinned Ron who, no doubt due to the spell, had the eyes of his wolf form.

"Where is everyone?" asked Harry while he stared at Ron's inhuman eyes

"In the great hall, where we're supposed to be." Said Hermione, who not only had her lioness eyes, but also claws and a tail.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm not going in" Ginny looked at the others and saw them smile in agreement.

"That's what we thought. Ron is going to talk to the local wolves, he needs to let them know that we're in the forest or they'll see us as a threat." Hermione said as the four walked over to the edge of the trees. When they got there, Ron threw back his head and howled. Hermione shivered at the noise, and the three of them watched Ron bend to greet the pack of wolves that spilled silently from the trees.

One by one, the wolves walked to Hermione and Ginny and licked their hands as part of the greeting of Ron's pack. The girls laughed and knelt to stroke the wolves and disappeared for several minutes under a sea of fur, while Ron was introducing Harry to Ulfrik, the wolf king of the Dark Forrest Pack.

When the wolves had returned to the trees, the four walked in after them and found a clearing a few hundred meters away from the castle and they sat around an orb of fire made by Ginny that hung in mid air.

Every time Ginny looked at Harry, she felt the bite that he had given her hours before and it was getting harder to avoid his eyes when they were sat so close. Desperate to take her mind off Harry before she did something embarrassing, she looked at Hermione.

"So, why were you shouting us before? Just to tell us you were going into the forest?"

"Well partly, but I wanted to talk to you about this spell. I noticed that it's enhanced more than just one aspect of both Ron and I, and one of the things it's enhanced is our magic. So if the same thing has happened to Harry and you, you should try the animagi transformation if your forms have settled." Hermione watched the excitement creep into Ginny's eyes and called Harry over.

They performed the 'forma animagi' spell together and this time, instead of indistinct clouds, a low rumbling growl spread through the clearing followed by the appearance of two sleek black panthers that stalked into the circle of light. They moved like liquid and in perfect timing with each other, when the two cats finally touched, rubbing against each other, an echoing purr replaced the growl.

"Oh Harry!" Ginny breathed

"They're … magnificent!" whispered Hermione

"We have to try it Gin. Now." Said Harry, eyes locking into hers.

She nodded and Ron called "just think of the panthers, that's all you have to do"

So they did. Together they filled their minds with the beautiful, deadly creatures they had just seen, and felt something wake up within them. Felt it stretch and uncurl and fill them up until there was no room left and they screamed together as the cats burst from them and the scream ended as the two panthers stood where they had just been.

When they moved, it was with that same liquid power and silence that would have allowed them to approach anyone unnoticed.

_My god!_ Harry thought as he paced around the clearing

_I know_ Ginny replied. They stopped moving as Ginny brushed against Harry and purred.

Look at Ron and 'mione! Harry's mind-voice whispered. They walked over to where their friends had stood and lay next to the lioness and wolf that had taken their places. For a few minutes, they played in silence, allowing Harry and Ginny to get used to their new forms.

It was very late when the four finally returned to their human forms, and began walking up to the castle.

_Looks like we're normal again_ sighed Ginny to Harry mourning the loss of her wings.

_As normal as we get, anyway_ he replied and smiled to show his fangs were still there.

Because they were too awake to sleep, the four spent the rest of the night finishing their rooms. By morning, Ron and Hermione were asleep on their bed in one room that seemed so much like the forest, right down to the starry ceiling and the breeze that passed through the room, they half expected Ulfrik's pack to walk through it. Harry and Ginny were sat in there room which they had enchanted like the ceiling of the great hall so the walls showed the night sky unless they needed light, in which case, it became day.


	15. Chosen

Hello! Thanks for waiting so long for the next chapter, there's a bit of a change in mood here, as I'm starting on _gasp_ the main plotline now. I hope you all enjoy it )

Treck – well, I'm glad you enjoy it so much )

Darthdrew1704 – thank you! hope you enjoy the new chapter

Eris, Queen of the Shadows – beat me with a feather? _gasp_ hehehe you're right about Ginny though!

SunStar Kitsune – umm well, actually… sort of, you have to wait and see ;) sorry about the cryptic-ness but I'll explain in the next chapter or possibly the one after. Yep I did mean that dress! Nice to meet another Tamora pierce reader, I actually used the description from the book but don't tell anyone! lol

Imgonnadie – don't worry I'm not going to abandon wings anytime soon )

HunterHatake – here you go, enjoy!

Dude – new chapter as requested, I'm glad you like wings

Bloodless Ace – Thanks, and I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long.

Djsdad12 – don't worry I will finish wings someday ) there are still twenty-odd chapters left!

Draco-luver-4-eva – sorry the chapter's taken so long, and by the way, that's a great name hehehe

Silver Phoenix Quill – I know you're probably getting bored of people saying how sorry they are about the leukaemia so I wont add to the list if the. I am, however, glad you've chosen to devote your time to the gods of fanfic. You have all my best wishes for a fast recovery and this chapter is dedicated to you, just in case it'll help somehow )

As the four walked into the great hall for breakfast the next day, the first thing Hermione noticed was that almost all the girls in the room were unusually...twitchy. She lagged behind the boys who sat down and began eating, too asleep to notice anything, and pulled Ginny to where Parvati and lavender sat with some of the older Gryffindor girls.

"Are you all … ok?" Hermione asked Parvati

"F-fine" She replied in a slightly higher voice than normal. "Its just…."

"Well last night…" started Lavender

"Oh!" said Ginny, blushing as she realized what must have happened.

"You felt it too!" whispered Parvati

"I felt... something." Hermione was looking questioningly at Ginny who was frantically trying to signal her friend to not ask her what had happened. Hermione nodded and whispered

"Me too…but I don't know…" she trailed off looking at the other girls.

"We think it was a vampire." Whispered one of the seventh year girls. "What else could it have been?"

"But that wasn't anything like thrall!" said another "and how would that affect half the girls at Hogwarts?"

"I read somewhere that the most powerful ones can do that with a look, or a thought."

"You mean you just make eye contact and you're so… turned on? Just like that?" lavender asked

"I've read it too." Said Hermione, lowering her voice to a whisper. Suddenly realising that Harry was the cause of all the girls' behaviour and of what she'd felt last night.

"It was almost like he was…looking for someone." said Ginny hesitantly, praying no one realised it had been Harry looking for her.

"But when his… presence moved through the hall…it was…amazing. I just wish it had been me he was looking for!" Parvati blushed as the other girls wholeheartedly agreed. There were a few minutes of silence, as all the girls seemed to drift into their own fantasy world.

"Ginny?" Said lavender as though she had snapped back to reality, "when did your eyes turn gold?" The others looked over too and saw that Ginny's eyes now had a ring of gold between the pupil and iris.

"Oh, err it was from last night, I think. I had to power to…" desperately she thought of a way to explain it "change how I looked and I forgot to change them back and now…I guess I'm stuck with them."

"Wow, you're lucky! I don't know what I'd have done if I'd still had gills this morning!" lavender smiled.

"How did you end up with gills?" Hermione asked, "I turned into a sort of cat-woman, but that's because I got into a transfiguration accident in second year." She lied quickly.

"Oh I remember, you ended up with a cat's tail. So your cloak enhanced the part of you that had been feline?" Lavender questioned. Hermione nodded and Lavender continued, "Well… I think the gills were because somewhere in my family there was a mermaid, but I can't remember where."

Ginny stopped listening then as Harry spoke in her mind.

_So, what's wrong with the girls?_

_Harry its because of you! When you called for me, they felt you_

_They felt- oh…they don't know it was me, do they?_

She laughed mentally _don't worry, your secret's safe_

_OUR secret, Gin. Last night was definitely not all my doing_

_It was amazing though_ she sighed as she remembered the feelings that burned through her as he bit her. Absently she touched the marks which were now covered by the collar of her shirt _I wish it wasn't over._ resisting the urge to walk over to him and kiss him, she looked away and noticed an open letter on the bench next to Harry _who sent that?_

_It's from Dumbledore, he wants to see us after Class._

That day the class had to present their reports on their animal. One by one the students were called to give their speech, hand in their essay, and show their animal to the class, if they had one. Of the four, Ron had borrowed Fawkes and Hermione had successfully lured a black fox to the edge of the forest to show the class. Harry and Ginny spoke about the unicorn and golden griffin respectively.

After class they waited with Professor Lupin for a while trying to get some idea of their grades, despite the fact that by law, he couldn't tell them anything, and laughed when he explained that the local wolves had told him all about their newest pack-brother.

Harry and Ginny then went up to Dumbledore's office, to see why he had called them to him.

"First, I want to congratulate the two of you again on completing the iunctura anima charm, it really is astounding that you managed it so quickly. But then, I'm sure you've noticed that several times this year, your magic has been acting without your err… permission."

"Do you mean the powers we had from our costumes?" Harry ventured

"Yes, but that is merely one example. As you have no doubt wondered why all this had been happening, it is time you know the truth." Dumbledore sighed before he continued and when he did, he looked squarely into their eyes and smiled at the circle of gold in Ginny's "you have been chosen, by Hogwarts, to protect the school, and the rest of the world."

_Excuse me?_ Ginny gasped

_Well…_ Harry sighed attempting to understand how that could possibly be good news _I have no clue how, but this will explain things. I hope _

"We've been chosen? By who?" Again, the headmaster smiled at Harry before he answered

"As hard as it may be to believe, the founders chose you. Not directly of course, but the book of belonging was written by them. There are several of these books, some at the ministry and others around the world. They are used to find four people who can fight the spread of dark forces."

"You can't mean Harry, Hermione, Ron and I?" Ginny said in disbelief

"Yes, I'm afraid I do. The two of you were chosen and you passed the power on, to Ron and Hermione though they don't realise it yet."

_How… Harry, how can we do anything? This is like a dream, how can we help?_

_Ginny this is what my life is like, don't worry, you'll get used to it_ he said with a mental smile

"So this is why we're getting more powerful?"

"Yes Harry. You see The Chosen are most often found in your age group because you are most open to elemental forces. These forces will strengthen you and enter into your magic until you are strong enough to defeat Voldemort."

"I can't believe this is happening." Whispered Ginny. She and Harry had existed in a bubble, separate from the rest of the world all year, but now reality was crashing back to them.

"Neither could I, Miss Weasley, when it happened to me." Dumbledore smiled. "You will need to enter the forest and find the Founder's Glen. When you go there, the ghosts of the founders will appear to you to begin your training. You see when a dark wizard gains too much power, fate, it appears, awakens the ghosts of the founders so they can train their chosen pupils to defeat the threat."

There was almost a full minute of silence while Harry and Ginny tried to understand and accept all they had been told.

"I waited as long as I could before telling you. I'd hoped you would be able to enjoy the year for a little longer before Voldemort attacked seriously, but he attacked the ministry yesterday although the news had been hidden from most of the world, the founders were reawakened and I was sent the knowledge that it was time to tell you of your fate."

"But this means I have a chance now, doesn't it?" Harry asked, "I mean, the prophecy said I'd face Tom again, but I never really believed I could survive…but if we're going to be trained… I could win." He met the headmaster's eyes, his own shining with hope.

_I wouldn't have let you die Harry, not without a fight._ Ginny reassured him and he smiled at her.

"When things become so bad that the founders must choose pupils, we had all best hope that you will win. Though if your power keeps increasing, I have no doubt that you will."

Ginny smiled, rather shakily, at him and said "Sir, I don't understand why Hermione and Ron aren't as powerful as we are…I mean, if they've been chosen, even if it is because of us…" she trailed off.

"I would thing it is because the elements have yet to claim them. Harry has been claimed by earth already and you have most clearly been claimed by fire, but air and water have yet to decide who will wield their power."

_Actually…this does explain a lot_ Ginny mused

_I know, all that scares me is it sounds like we have to meet the founders._

"I would suggest that you wait until tomorrow to tell Ron and Hermione what you have been told, but then you must find the founders."

"Yes, sir. We will." said Harry as they stood to leave.

Harry and Ginny spent that night wondering what was to come, and for the first time in a long while, they stopped trying to forget that Voldemort was out there, and started to think that they might be able to stop him.


	16. Alpha

I'm sure you're all wondering where I've been for the last few months, but the shortened version of the extremely long story is that my house flooded because a radiator broke so there was 4 inches of water downstairs. Because we had to store everything from downstairs upstairs, this is the first time I've seen my computer since last October!

Thank you all for putting up with the huge gaps between my chapters!

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Amortentia 4u – I'm glad you like wings and it should be pretty long by the time I'm done!

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Chrissy - hehe you'll get some plot in this chapter, at least! Sorry the update took so long! Did you manage to read the chapter in the end or do you want a summery?

jabarber69 – thank you! And they'll get the animals soon!

TonksFan693 – I know, but like I said above, I haven't been able to get to my pc.

harryp123 – sorry it took so long to update! Nice name though!

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Someone – I know, I'm sorry for the wait!

eliteshadow – I hope you haven't given up on me! So sorry for the wait

LiTTleMiSSmOOny – I'm flattered! You're right though, this fic is DEFFINATELY not cannon! It was started before HBP so it doesn't fit with the timeline so well anymore.

missprongs07 – glad you're enjoying it!

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GinnyBabe03 – don't worry, I promise that I will finish this fic!

pettybureaucrat – glad you like it!

piratas93 – hehe I feel exactly the same about fluff! I doubt they're really the first people to sleep together in Hogwarts but I bet the others weren't told that they had to by Dumbledore!

HogwartsAngel101 – thank you! Hope you like the chapter

Eris, Queen of the Shadows – in that case, I beg forgiveness O wielder of feathers and humbly offer the new chapter to you. Hehe

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djsdad12 – I'm glad you're enjoying it!

Because I couldn't check my mail, hotmail deleted my account so if I don't reply to someone who reviewed me, I'm so sorry but I don't have a record of exactly who I've replied to anymore.

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Hermione had spent her day with Lavender and Parvati discussing anything that came into their heads. They'd ended up staying in the hall after the tables had been cleared from breakfast and eventually the conversation drifted back to the vampire they had felt the night before.

"It was so primal, what we felt… it was pure, somehow." Sighed Lavender

"I don't think I could have coped, if it had lasted much longer." Parvati shivered as she spoke.

"But who was he looking for?" Whispered Hermione. She knew it had been Harry searching for Ginny but it was still hard to believe and she didn't want the others to realise that she knew anything. Though it occurred to her that she didn't know…not really. She knew that the cloak had given Harry and Ginny their costumes and powers back… but she didn't know why they were so strong.

"I don't know, but he must have found her." Suddenly, Lavender turned to Hermione "have you… noticed anything… about Harry?"

"The whole school's talking about him." Parvati continued "and about you, Ron and Ginny."

"You can see it most in Harry and Ginny but it's starting in you and Ron too."

"You mean the power, don't you?" Hermione had seen it too, something had happened deep within her friends and she couldn't begin to imagine it happening to herself, or to Ron. "It's not quite as strong in Ginny… but its there."

"Yes, they're strong now. That's the best way to describe it." Parvati nodded "It's changed Harry more, but-"

"No, it hasn't." Hermione said thoughtfully, "for a long time I thought he'd changed too, but then I realised that this was in him all along. He's turning into the person he's supposed to be"

"Its almost scary… he's so intense… his eyes…" lavender trailed off

"The way you talk, every girl in Hogwarts must want him!" laughed Hermione trying to lighten the mood.

"No," smiled Parvati "we know that we couldn't handle him. We couldn't keep up… but that doesn't mean that we wouldn't try!"

They laughed together for a while before Parvati and lavender convinced Hermione to tell them everything that had happened with Ron, and in a somewhat embarrassed voice she started to speak.

……………………..

Harry sat at the top of north tower; it was high enough to suit him. He was still feeling the power from the night before and had wanted to savour it for as long as he could. As he looked out over the grounds, his eyes were inexplicably drawn to the forest and he realised that something else within him had changed the night before. He wasn't sure what it was, but he knew it was to do with the forest.

As he started the long walk downstairs to his common room, he realised that whatever had awoken in him was meant to be there, so why should he worry? It was only when he saw Ron sat on the sofa that he knew what it was.

Ron's eyes widened as Harry entered, and they froze for a second before Ron shifted forms. Harry watched as the magnificent wolf that was his best friend walked towards him, body low to the ground and ears flat, acknowledging Harry as his alpha. Instinctively Harry shifted into his panther form and made eye contact with the wolf that bared its teeth in a grin.

Abruptly they shifted back to human.

"What was all that Ron? How can I be your alpha? I'm not even a wolf!" Harry sank down onto the sofa as Ron sat on the one opposite him.

"I…I don't know, I just had to do it. Harry, I didn't have a choice. You're my pack, you and Ginny and Hermione are pack weather you're wolf on the outside or not." Ron's voice was more confident that it had been before, as though there was no room for doubt in his words. "I think that's why things have been so strained between us, you and Ginny spent time together and so did Hermione and I, but things have been a little off when we mix."

"Like you throwing me out of a room?" Harry was only half joking as he spoke, because he began to understand what Ron was saying.

"I still can't believe I did that…I yelled at you, but then as soon as you spoke to me… I started to think you were right… even then I'd started to see you as alpha."

"But it wasn't till last night, when Gin and I shifted that I realised it." Harry said, Ron smiled as Harry accepted his place in the pack.

"So that's why its all been so strange Harry, because our pack had no structure, but now you're the alpha male and, I guess that makes Ginny alpha female, and Hermione's my mate."

………………..

That afternoon, it occurred to Harry that since Ron had to shift forms to acknowledge him, the girls would have to as well, so they'd had lunch together in their common room and had talked far more easily about life than they had since Ron and Hermione had transformed the first time. By the time the four made it to class, they felt closer than ever, and despite none of them quite understanding how one pack could have three different animals in it, none of the questioned that it did.

_It feels so right, doesn't it?_ Ginny spoke in Harry's mind. It was the first time they'd used the link since seeing Dumbledore and they both realised that they'd missed it. They'd been trying to forget what had been said the day before, that they were chosen, but Ginny too had spent the whole day thinking of the forest.

_Its like I should have known it all along, like that's why I've protected you all, because I knew…somewhere, that all of you are mine to protect_ Harry ripped his eyes away from the window and the view of the forest it offered to smile at Ginny. She moved closer to him and pressed her leg against his before she whispered

_I am yours, Harry Potter, I wear your mark on my neck and you wear mine on yours, now we just get the title that goes with it._

_It's a bit formal though, don't you think? Alpha sound so…_

_Commanding?_

_Controlling. I'm worried I'll lead you into something dangerous._

Harry this is me, I love dangerous, you know that. I'd follow you through anything, no matter how dangerous because I know its right for me to do that. My place is by your side, that's who I am.

_I'm stronger now Gin. We both know it. All year I've been getting stronger and we've both found so much power. I know I can lead you and Ron and Hermione too. Deep down I know its what I'm supposed to do. Its just starting that's the hard part._

As soon as he thought that, pain shot through Harry. He felt that he was being pulled towards the forest, not merely urged in its direction as he had been all day. Beside him he heard Ginny gasp.

_What is that?_ Ginny sounded almost panicked.

_I think its what we've been avoiding all day._ Harry closed his eyes in pain trying desperately not to cry out as the pain returned. _We… we have to do what Dumbledore said. We have to go into the forest._

They stood and made their way across the room, calling back to Ron and Hermione that they'd be back later.

"I wish they'd just tell us what's going on" Ron sighed

"I know. I'm sure they will, sooner or later. And besides" she said as she crawled over to where Ron sat behind her "at least we get the common room to ourselves." Ron laughed and kissed her.

……………………..

ten minutes later Harry and Ginny were walking deeper and deeper into the forest, praying that the pain, which had lessened to the point where it was bearable, was pulling them in the right direction.

Eventually Harry became so frustrated with how hard it was to make their way through the trees that he had to stop. He turned to Ginny who, without warning, kissed him as hard as she could. She pressed him back against a tree until Harry showed his dominance by spinning them so she was pressed against the tree and he lifted her as she wrapped her legs around his waist and tried vainly to pull him harder against her. Several long, breathless minutes later Harry broke their lustful kiss and they stayed leaning against the tree as their breathing slowed.

_Why did you stop? Cant we-_

Harry grinned in a possessive way that made it clear he would finish this later. _As much as I want to do this, it isn't why we came here._

Ginny swallowed and bit her lip as Harry lowered her to the ground. She took a deep breath "that way." She whispered pointing through the trees. It was, perhaps, five minutes later when they reached a clearing in the trees and stepped through it to see a small pond in its centre.

The pain had disappeared so they knew they had found the right place, even before the four founders appeared. Their forms were shadowy so they couldn't make out exactly how each founder looked but they knew, when each spoke, which of the Hogwarts four they were listening to.

"They're so young" Ravenclaw sighed

"They always are, love." Said Gryffindor as he moved to stand beside her. "Do you know why you're here?"

Harry stood forward. "We know we've been chosen. There are two others but we wanted to come first."

"You wanted to protect them." Gryffindor nodded "but you," he smiled at Ginny "you refused to stay behind?"

"Harry wouldn't have asked me too." She smiled in spite of herself. Ginny found that the founders were intimidating and approachable all at the same time, but she found that she liked them.

Harry was still wary of the founders, he couldn't help it, but he saw in Ginny's eyes that she trusted them and so he did the same. "I'll bring the others, tomorrow, it that's alright. I just wanted to see what we'd gotten ourselves in for, before I tried to explain it all to them."

"Probably a wise move." Said Slytherin. "It is the sign of a good leader that you would come here first."

"Yes. The book has chosen well." Said Gryffindor as he looked over at Slytherin. "They will learn quickly, their magic is already advanced and the boy, in particular, has more inner strength than we could have hoped."

"Harry. My name is Harry."

"Of course, forgive us, we have been impolite" said Hufflepuff.

"You asked if we understood, and we do, a little. But we don't know what you will teach us, or how. We don't know how we can fight or if we can even help." Ginny smiled wryly as she spoke.

"But we will try, if there's even a chance we can defeat Tom, we will do as you ask." Harry finished.

"That is all we can ask of you," said Gryffindor. "You must forgive us for this meeting, it was not how it should have been. When you return with the others, there will be so much more that we can tell you, but we are still learning of the situation here."

At Harry and Ginny's puzzled looks, Slytherin explained, "We are not ghosts, nor are we memories, nor are we truly alive. We are a mixture of all three, called into existence when we are needed. It will take us until tomorrow to regain ourselves fully and then we will explain everything to you."

"Then we'll come, if you'll lead us again?" Harry asked

"Of course." Hufflepuff smiled as Harry and Ginny left.

_God Harry, what is this?_ Ginny looked into his eyes as the founders disappeared from sight.

_I don't know Gin, but it's help. Somehow, they'll help us._ he smiled and took her hand as they began the walk back to the castle.


	17. explinations?

Hello again, its been too long since I've updated, but I guess A-levels do that to you! This is the last day of my Easter holiday so I've given up all pretence of revision to write wings!

Chrissy – my house is starting to get back to normal now, thanks for asking! I need wings too; I just wish I had more time to write it! Enjoy )

Funky seaweed – firstly, that's a great name. I'm sorry the update took so long.

NuvaChaos – thank you! Hope you like the chapter

Blueyesangel1186 – gosh, I don't know what to say other than I'm sorry it takes me so long to update, and this chapter is dedicated to you since I don't want you to go insane from the suspense!

Eragon55 – thank you so much, I hope you like the new chapter

Shdurrani – I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you!

Jabarber69 – believe me I will not abandon wings, I love it too much ) I've pretty much got all the plot planned so I just need the time to write it all down. Again, sorry about how long the updates take.

Hannah – I'm flattered! Oh and I'm a redhead, so I guess I'm biased, but my favourite is Harry/Ginny too! Though I do have a thing for Ginny/Draco… not in wings though!

Harryp123 – sorry you had to wait so long!

Usako-chan'07 – thank you, the house is getting better, enjoy the new chapter!

HogwartsAngel101 – hahaha I guess that's what wings is like though!

Bloodless Ace – thank you!

Amortentia 4u – I'm, glad you're enjoying it! As for length, lets see…this is chapter 17 and I have 34 planned, so it'll be here for a while!

When Harry and Ginny walked into the Gryffindor common room, they were so preoccupied with what they would tell Hermione and Ron, Lavender had to shout them twice before they looked up.

"S-sorry lavender," Ginny blushed "I err- I missed that."

"Its fine, I guess he'd distract me too!" she smiled and looked over at Harry who had been dragged over to Nevile and Dean, before turning back to Ginny. "Those eyes of yours really are different!"

"I know," Ginny smiled back "but I'm getting used to them now, at first, it was a shock each time I looked in a mirror."

Ginny sat down next to Lavender, in a corner away from the fire, where Parvati had saved them seats.

_Gin? Does everyone seem…ok to you?_ She let her eyes flick to Harry who sat watching her from near the fire.

"Hey Ginny!" Parvati said, calling Ginny's attention back to the girls. "We wanted to talk to you about Harry... if that's ok?"

"Of course… it's been ages since we talked!"

_How do you mean, Harry?_

_It's like they're… asking permission, just to talk to us._

Ginny watched Lavender and Parvati more closely and saw them breathe a sigh of relief when she said they could ask. _Harry, Its like they're scared of us…_

_I don't think they're scared exactly…just… nervous?_

"Well Ginny, the thing is…" Parvati began

"We want to know if everything's ok. Its just that you and Harry have… changed so much and…"

"We just… we don't understand…" the girls met Ginny's eyes, and waited for her to speak.

"When you said 'we' you don't just mean you two, do you?" Ginny watched the girls shake their heads.

"Well its all of Gryffindor… actually, most of the school's noticed it, Parvati and I, we would have asked Harry what was happening but… we feel like its…"

"Not your place?" asked Hermione, who had walked over as she listened to the girls talk.

"Exactly." Lavender smiled gratefully at Hermione.

"I-" Ginny was lost. She was just about to call to Harry when he walked over to them.

"What's wrong?" Harry looked at the girls waiting for them to speak.

"Well… we've… we've been wanting to ask for a while now… about what's happening to you and Ginny." Lavender said.

_God Harry, What do we tell them?_

_I don't know, Gin_

The rest of Gryffindor tower had gone quiet, as the fifth and sixth years tried to hear what was happening.

"Yeah, Harry" Dean called "we know that there'll be some you cant tell us."

"There always is." Said Hermione with a wry smile.

"But… isn't there something? I mean, most of us have done the defence assignment, and we all managed the first transfiguration one, so we all went to London. But that's it." Parvati continued

"You're the only ones that managed the charms… and then there's the latest transfiguration. No one saw you two, but you must have managed it because you aced the test!" Lavender continued.

_Oh god… I understand now._ Harry whispered in Ginny's mind. _They're hoping for a miracle… they think this is it… they want to believe in us._

_You mean this is about the war? _She stared deep into Harry's eyes while Lavender spoke, and Ginny started to see what was happening.

_They want us to be the heroes Gin… well, I guess they realise that we're going to be them… or, we're going to try. _

"And you're the only ones in the year, except for Hermione and Ron, that managed to change anything big. Everyone else got something like my gills; something that didn't work. Or something that only worked a little… like Padma, she could move things a few centimetres just by thinking it, but she only managed it twice before she changed back."

Harry finally looked away from Ginny and started to look around the room. The rest of the school was still at dinner so it was only the 5th and 6th years, but everyone shivered when they met Harry's eyes.

"There isn't a good explanation for what's happening. Or at least, not one I can give. But this is… training." Harry spoke in a calm and level voice that most of the tower had never heard before. It was the one he'd used to pull Ginny through the iunctura anima spell.

"For the war?" Hermione moved to stand next to Ginny and Harry as she spoke.

Harry nodded and almost at once, the whole common room was filled with noise as everyone finally got what they'd so desperately wanted, and needed: hope. Everyone in the tower had… at some point since Christmas, realised that if it came down to a war, they looked to Harry to lead them. Voldemort's power was starting to scare the students, he was toying with the wizarding world, only attaching on a small scale, and they needed someone to turn to. For the world, that person was Dumbledore, but for Gryffindor, they looked to Harry first.

In the time that followed, Harry, Hermione and Ginny made it through the crowd and to their private common room.

"I'm sorry" Hermione said as they entered the room to see Ron standing next to the door with an expression that blatantly said he'd heard everything. "I didn't realise everyone would be so…"

"Its ok 'Mione." Harry smiled as the four moved over to the sofas. "There's something we need to talk about."

So they explained. Slowly and haltingly as they tried to find the words to convince themselves, as well as Ron and Hermione, that this was all really happening. After a frantic mental conversation, Ginny and Harry decided not to mention the telepathy when they explained everything else. When they'd finished, there was silence.

"So… we have to meet the founders?" Ron said a few minutes later.

"They're, not as bad as you'd think." Harry said. This caused them all to descend into laughter and to release the tension.

-----------------------

The next day, Harry and Ginny led the others through the forest, in search of the clearing. After about an hour, they walked into the opening to see the founders waiting for them.

"Gods!" Breathed Hermione as they approached. The four founders spoke to Ron and Hermione, as they had spoken to Harry and Ginny the day before; to get a sense of their character.

_This is so unreal. _Harry took Ginny's hand and pulled her down to sit next to him on the edge of the clearing.

_I know… but its good. _

_Its fantastic Gin, I'm not just waiting now… I have help… like I said, we have a chance if we get training… its not like before._

_We've always had a chance. I've known that since you saved me, Harry._

_I didn't know it. _Ginny met his gaze, shocked that Harry had so little confidence in himself after all that he'd done. _Now I do… its like someone giving me a new life! I have hope now. I have you, I'm going to have a life after the war's over, and I never had that before._

_You'll always have me Harry. I love you. _She kissed him. Harry smiled into the kiss, thankful that no one was watching as he pulled her tightly against him. The kiss was more than the fire they'd always shared, it was a promise of more to come, and it was a kiss of hope. Harry pulled abruptly away from Ginny, leaving her speechless for a few seconds.

_W-what's wrong Harry?_

_We have to stop… I cant… if I carry on, I wont be able to stop and we aren't alone._

_Then… when we are-_

_Believe me, I'll make it worth the wait._ Ginny shivered violently as Harry pressed his lips to the bite on her neck.

Harry stood and helped Ginny stand, and then they walked over to where the others were.

"I hope the amulets have found their way to you?" Hufflepuff asked as they reached the group.

"Amulet? You mean this?" Harry pulled the Golden Griffin from beneath his shirt as Ginny pulled her War Unicorn from beneath hers.

"Excellent." Ravenclaw smiled. "There are two others, the Black Fox," she said presenting Hermione with the silver amulet of the mysterious four-tailed creature, "and the Phoenix." She passed Ron the graceful silver bird with diamonds for eyes.

The two fastened the chains around their necks whilst stammering their thanks.

"These amulets will protect you if you call them." Slytherin spoke. "All you need do is call their name, and they will appear. "

"The amulets take the forms of your familiars. The animal which is bound to you as you are to it." Gryffindor smiled as the four stared intently at him. "Concentrate on them and they will tell you their name."

Despite the absurdity of the statement, none of the four dared question it so they all closed their eyes and focused on their amulet.

_Do you hear anything?_

_No Harry… but there is… something…_

_Like some half forgotten memory?_

_Or someone you haven't seen in years…but I cant…_

_Darkmane! _Harry opened his eyes. "Darkmane!" he called. Harry felt something move through him, and suddenly a magnificent winged lion appeared before him. The creature was a solid black and moved like liquid lightning. Harry knelt before his familiar and the lion sat before him, folding its wings behind itself. Harry stared into Darkmane's silver eyes and grinned. Harry reached for Ginny, who came and sat next to him awed by the lion.

_How did you know his name?_

_He told me, Gin… I just knew._

Ginny reached out to touch Darkmane and as soon as her fingers brushed against his fur, her own familiar's name whispered through her mind.

"Silversong." She called, and before her appeared a war unicorn. The silver unicorn was shining with inner strength and elegance as it too, lay before Ginny and Harry. The unicorn folded its wings in a gesture so similar to the lion that it seemed almost as if they were the same.

Awed beyond words, Ginny finally managed to tear her eyes away from the sight before her when she heard Hermione's whisper of "Shadowdance" at the same moment as Ron said "Truthsong."

The phoenix that appeared before Ron was silver and white, with eyes of pure gold, and the fox that appeared in front of Hermione was pure black save for the tips of its tails and its eyes which glowed silver. The odd thing about the animals was their size, all four were large enough to be ridden, which should have given the four a hint as to what their training would someday involve.


	18. A Game

Well, for anyone that doesn't live in England, or anyone who doesn't much care about exam timetables, I'm completely overjoyed to tell you that the A levels are officially over! Which makes me happier than I've been in a long time!

And so, to celebrate, I thought Wings was past-due another chapter, so I should write one!

Chrissy – I'm so flattered that wings is your favourite story! And, as usual, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update. I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

Bloodless Ace - I'm glad you're still enjoying wings, hope you like this chapter too.

Pettybureaucrat - I hope you find the new chapter as interesting as the last ;)

TonksFan693 - I am sorry for the length of time it takes me to update, believe me, if I could devote more of my life to fanfic, I would… its just that pointless things like college keep getting in my way. I should be able to write more now I'm on holiday!

funky seaweed - thank you for understanding about my exams, I guess that means you're doing some too? Or maybe you've done some too recently to forget them! I hope you like the new chapter

lily was a marauder – firstly, I love your name! Actually I have read the Anita Blake books, I really enjoyed them… well up to about book 10 anyway I think Micah's a great character and I think Edward is great! But I haven't read the new one 'Micah' I'd just like a bit more plot in the books, so maybe 'Dance Macabre' will be better, I hope so, anyway! Thanks for reading wings!

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Before the founders could teach the four anything so interesting as how to ride their familiars, they first had to learn the basics of different types of combat and of different types of magic.

Each day when the four supposedly had free periods, they would make the journey out into the forest and whichever founder was going to teach them that day would be waiting.

With Ravenclaw and Hufflepuf, they began to try to cast spells far older than those they were used to. Although these spells could still be performed with a wand, there were other objects that could be used to channel the magic. One morning, Helga and Rowena demonstrated duelling using the air element with staffs to cast their magic.

"It's odd, isn't it, that Ginny is good at the fire spells and Harry is good at the Earth ones, but you and I…" Hermione called to Ron while they used staffs cut from tree branches to try and knock over a target set up between them using the basic wind spell to summon a breeze.

"You and I?" Ron asked as he concentrated on the sweeping motion of his staff that was supposed to conjure the wind. And, as usual, he created just enough to make the target wobble, but yet again it did not fall.

Hermione sighed, "We don't seem to have a talent for the spells."

"I know… but the spells aren't all we're going to learn, we'll find something that we can do as well as they do this." Ron smiled over at Hermione who was watching as her gust of wind also failed to knock over the target.

"Actually, you have the situation almost backwards." Rowena spoke from somewhere behind Ron, and he turned to look at her as she beckoned Hermione to join them.

"How is it backwards?" Ron questioned "Harry IS the best of us at the earth spells, and Ginny's better than the rest of us at the fire ones."

"Their success lies with their chosen element, not with the structure and casting of this type of magic."

"So Harry can do the earth spells because the earth element chose him?" Ron realised that this explanation made sense, but it didn't explain why he and Hermione were having trouble getting the spells to work.

"Does that mean," Hermione asked, "that Ron and I haven't got an element yet? Is that why we can't get the spells to work?"

Rowena smiled at them "Air and Water seem to be trying to recruit you both rather than choosing one of you to give power to, but this has shown us that you are both naturally talented at this type of magic."

"So… because we can use each element, a little, without being granted power…" Ron trailed off, not quite sure it he was right and they were going to be able to use all four elements when Air and Water decided to choose between himself and Hermione.

"Yes, because you can use each element now, you will continue to be able to once the elements have decided. This means that we will continue to train you in this form of magic, rather than the kind that Harry and Ginny will use."

"Do you know what that will be?" Hermione smiled as she looked over to where their friends stood, over the other side of the clearing, talking to Helga.

"I have a fair idea." Slytherin appeared as if from nowhere, making Ron and Hermione jump before they realised he'd just walked up behind them.

"You aren't going to tell us, are you?" Hermione smiled at her favourite of the four founders (not that there was much in it, as she liked the other three so much)

"If he tells you and is wrong, the shame of it would hardly suite one of the founders of Hogwarts, would it?" Smiled Rowena.

"Oh, no… no, of course not" laughed Hermione.

"Is the lesson over?" Ron questioned. He was always disappointed to end the lessons because it seemed like everything they learned was actually going to be very useful in the near future, and it might even keep them alive.

"There'll be more tomorrow" said Harry who had walked over with Ginny.

"There always is." Harry and Ginny glanced at each other and Hermione had the strangest suspicion that they were still talking through that look. She and Ron had seen them do it a few times; never often enough to make them sure of what they'd seen… but the thought was still there.

It was later on than night that Ron walked into the common room with a bottle of firewhiskey. At the others' questioning looks he just shrugged

"I haven't had any in ages, and Fred and George sent us this to 'take a night off'." Ron sat down on the floor in front of the table that was, unusually, not covered in food or mugs of tea and hot chocolate.

Hermione remembered the last night they'd had a bottle of firewhiskey and smiled fondly, the four of them had been sat around the kitchen table at the burrow when Fred and George had walked in with the bottle and the six of them had spent the whole night laughing and talking as they drank and had thankfully been saved from hangovers by the spell placed on the bottle.

Harry and Ginny slid down onto the floor from where they had been sitting on the sofa looking as though they'd been drifting off to sleep. Of course they'd really been talking about tomorrow's lesson with the founders because Slytherin had told them they would be 'playing with the swords again.' Harry had only ever held a sword once before and that had been when he had fought the basilisk but even then, the sword had felt right in his hand, so now he was desperate to hold one again.

"Well" said Hermione as she sat on the fourth side of the table with Ron on her right, Harry in front of her and Ginny on her left, "looks like we need these." She summoned some glasses from the kitchen, hoping the elves wouldn't mind.

"Do you really think we can drink all this?" Ginny asked as she watched Ron open the bottle. Seeing as there had been six of them last time, it might be too much for four.

"Well… as long as the bottle's empty, the charm should kick in to make us feel normal again, so we could just poor the rest away after we're done" said Harry

"That sounds too much like passing up a challenge, to me." Grinned Ron as he poured some of the alcohol into each glass. "We wouldn't want people to think our Alpha can't face a challenge, would we?"

"Of course not! But I don't want my pack seen as weak either, so you're all going to have to play." Harry grinned at the others.

"Actually, Harry, that's a great idea… we should play that game the twins taught us." Hermione said with a slightly more evil smile than the last.

_Sounds good to me_ Ginny spoke softly in Harry's mind, trying not to make him jump. Harry had realised a few days before that they were making it far too obvious when they spoke to each other; sooner or later, Ron and Hermione would realise something was going on.

_We'll be fine… as long as they don't ask the wrong questions_ Harry stole a glance at her to let Ginny see his smile before they turned back to the others. _Of course, I think the possibility of the wrong questions is the fun of the game._ He laughed.

It was about half an hour later that the four were comfortably settled into a game of 'I never' and the bottle was only just nearing ¾ full… it looked like it was going to be a fun night.

"Okay… I never… err… stole anything from one of you three" Ron said happily as he glanced around the table. Hermione smiled back as he met her eyes but when he looked at Ginny, she sighed and took a drink.

"What was it?" Hermione asked

"The invisibility cloak… Neville was driving me mad… I just wanted to get away for a while." She shrugged and glanced at Harry who was laughing.

"I probably would have done the same thing." Hermione admitted.

"Hang on…" Harry looked at Ron with an evil glint in his eyes "you didn't drink."

"I didn't st-" Ron tried to fight the memory that appeared in his mind "oh bloody hell, I did… I stole your books 'mione" he said and drank. "It was for the ball!"

"I'll forgive you, since it was for a good cause," she laughed "right, my turn?" the others nodded. "I never… fell asleep in class."

"Even in third year?" Ron asked

She met his look "not once."

"That's not bloody natural!" Ginny said as she, Harry AND Ron downed their drinks.

"Well… I never… err… I never went outside without wearing underwear." Harry said. Ginny looked over at him_ I couldn't think of anything else…wait… don't tell me you have, Gin!_

Ginny blushed and drank, and a few seconds later, so did Hermione, which caused them both to start giggling.

When they were finally nearing the end of the bottle, with only a few rounds left, they were still playing the game.

"Whose turn is it?" Ron asked as he nursed his glass trying to refill it.

"Mine" Ginny said, "I never… had a dream, you know, _that_ kind of dream, that involved a teacher in any way." She then looked at the others, daring them to admit that they had, of course she was only guessing… but then Hermione drank.

"Y-you? You dreamt about a teacher?" Ron gasped

"Who was it?" Harry couldn't stop himself from asking.

"S-Snape" she whispered. "He walked in on… never mind" she trailed off as Ginny and Harry laughed and Ron turned faintly green.

"Okay then… I never used one of Fred and George's daydream charms." This time Harry stared at the others, waiting for them to drink. Ron and Hermione reached for their glasses that time, closely followed by Ginny.

_What was it like Gin?_ Harry whispered in her mind, resisting the urge to look at her.

_Not as good as the real thing. _Harry couldn't help it, he sent a puzzled glance at her and she blushed._ It…err…creates the fantasy from your desires_.

_So what happened?_ This time, his voice was far less teasing and far more interested.

_You were … you had the fangs…_ he turned and met her eyes as she spoke

I still have them the whisper, and the unsaid promise that came with it, distracted her so much that she didn't hear Hermione's statement. 

"S-Sorry 'mione, what was that?" she grinned sheepishly at her friend

"I said, I never 'did' anything in class, not even a kiss."

"But, of course, she's lying" Ron smiled over at Hermione as they both drank.

"Well, this looks like the last one" Ron said as he looked at the small amount of firewhiskey left. "Since I found the whiskey, I'll do the honours… I never slept with anyone." He locked eyes with Harry as he spoke and Harry met his look.

Ah…what do we do, Harry? 

_Only one thing to do, we drink._

As one Harry and Ginny emptied their glasses and Ginny glanced at Ron. Ron sighed, shook his head and smiled "I thought so."

"… So the two of you haven't?" Harry ventured

"We didn't want it to be our goodbye." Hermione said in a small voice. "It's because of the war; we didn't want to only have one night together and then have one of use die."

"Although…" Hermione looked over at Ron "that does seem silly now, doesn't it?"

Ron looked up, shocked "you're sure?" he smiled as she nodded, and the two of them said goodnight to Harry and Ginny.


	19. Training

I cannot believe that it almost December! I think I blinked and lost half a year… I'm so sorry, sigh I suppose I could blame university, but still, its been MONTHS since I found the time to update so I wanted to apologise.

Shellsboy24 – thanks for the review, hope you like the new chapter )

LandUnderWave – I love meeting other Tamora Pierce fans, which series do you like best? I'm really happy you like wings!

Lilpop – I hope you've managed to bear with me while it took me so long to update! Enjoy the new chapter )

Pour l'amour du stylo – hi Chrissy, I was glad to hear from you! Hope you can forgive me for taking so long to update

Harry-an-Ginny – hehehe, I'm glad you enjoy it!

Silvertail - don't worry, I wont give up on wings. Oh, and that's a great name )

Lycanarus – thank you so much for your message, I hope you got my reply and that you find this chapter soon!

Lily was a marauder – hi again, hope you enjoy the new chapter!

Bloodless Ace – you know, I love that game too!

Nightwing 509 – that's what I like about writing Wings, I can have fun with it, so they can play drinking games )

Treck – sorry I took so long and I hope you find this!

Pettybureaucrat – yeah, I though Ron and Hermione deserved to have a moment or two )

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It was around midnight when Harry sat bolt upright in bet with no clue what had woken him. As he gasped for breath, he suddenly realised that at the same moment he had moved, so had Ginny.

_W-what's going on?_ She whispered in his mind.

_No idea… but I feel… something._ Harry moved silently away from the bed, drawing Ginny after him, and cast a smile back at her when she created tiny lights that flew into all the dark corners of the room.

The second time a scream split the air, they recognised it as the thing that must have woken them. Harry moved so fast towards the sound that Ginny thought he'd moved before he even heard the noise.

_Harry, that's Ron, isn't it?_ Ginny fled silently after him, towards Ron and Hermione's room.

_It's Hermione too._ Harry threw the door to their room open and dashed inside. Ginny followed him and they stopped just short of the bed. Ron and Hermione were suspended a few inches above the bed, eyes wide and unseeing, as they were surrounded by blue and yellow light.

"No." It was the first sound that Harry had made since they had been pulled from sleep, and Ginny was shocked at the intensity and strength of will behind the voice. "You cannot have them!" As he spoke, Harry put more than just his will behind the words; he threw his power into them as well. He knew he was blazing with emerald fire, now that he'd woken his earth element, and knew distantly than Ginny would help as soon as he gave her the chance.

"They are my pack, they are under my protection. You will not harm them!" Harry moved onto the bed and gripped Ron's left hand and Hermione's right as he spoke. Suddenly Ginny realised what he was talking to; Air and Water were fighting over Ron and Hermione. They were trying to win both humans and deny the other element a choice. Harry's power slowly formed a barrier between his friends and the elements.

"Gin-" he gasped, voice horse from concentrating.

_I'm here, I always am_ and she slid into place in front of Harry and kissed him. Their power was fused together through that kiss and made even stronger, the ruby-centred emerald flames now roared higher and stronger than the Air saffron and the Water sapphire.

"This has to stop." Harry and Ginny spoke, now with one voice. "You will kill them if you do not chose. You must do it now, and be done." With that they pulled their power back into themselves and there was a roaring that filled the room.

The saffron light surrounded Ron, save for a fist-sized globe that settled into Hermione, and the sapphire light slammed into Hermione except for the globe that moved into Ron.

Ginny's knees gave out, but she and Harry hardly noticed as he held her against him; they still hadn't broken the kiss.

The next morning Hermione and Ron (who didn't remember a thing about the night before) were amazed at their sudden proficiency with the elemental spells that they'd been struggling so hard to learn. There was no difference between their suddenly enhanced abilities with fire and earth spells, and only a tiny amount set Hermione ahead with water and Ron with air when they compared with each other. All in all, they were overjoyed. They were now stronger at that type of magic than Ginny, and with a little more practice, would be stronger than Harry.

That was the first day that Slytherin planned to let Harry touch a sword. The more he and Gryffindor had discussed the matter the more they had realised that Harry was going to be magnificent once they armed him, and they suspected Ginny would be his only equal.

In short, they were all itching to start the lesson when the chosen arrived at the back of the founders' glen to see Slytherin and Gryffindor stood holding wooden swords with metal handles.

"The wood is to stop things… escalating" Slytherin explained to the four.

"We know you haven't touched a sword before, well… most of you haven't, but it can be… exhilarating." Gryffindor smiled as Slytherin as he spoke.

Harry was silent; he was entirely still, as he listened to his body telling him that he could do this; that he could wield a sword and that he could do it well. Ginny was preoccupied as well; she couldn't tear her attention away from the blades even to listen to the founders.

Hermione shivered slightly, as she looked at the swords, wooden or not, they were beautiful and (she suspected) still deadly. Unconsciously she gripped Ron's hand as he moved forward.

Ron moved a few meters away from the others and Slytherin handed him a sword. He then showed Ron and the others how to conjure a 'training ghost' these were human shaped, and moved with a skill just superior to their opponent, meaning that they provided an excellent partner to practice against. Once they were good enough, the chosen would surpass the ghosts and would move on to the next level of ghost, and so on until they moved to human opponents... or at least, that was what the founders had planned.

Ron eyed his opponent warily; it was disconcerting that the ghost didn't have eves to look into. They began slowly, the ghost attacking and Ron blocking with an instinctively good grasp of the fighting style. And then, finally, Ron began to attack. Ron's attack was far superior to anything the founders should have been able it expect, although his defence was less than perfect, it hardly mattered. It took Ron less than five minutes to defeat his ghost, and return, smiling, to Hermione.

Hermione was shocked at how her hands itched to try her luck against the ghost, she normally only felt this kind of pull towards her wand… and she had to admit she liked it.

There was an odd silence that had fallen over the group since they had arrived and it continued as Hermione took her place opposite the ghost she had just conjured. Although Ron's defence had been good, Hermione's was flawless. She hardly stopped moving long enough for the ghost to begin his attack before she found a way to avoid it. She laughed as the ghost fell under her attacks, she knew they attack was weaker than Ron's and so it had taken her longer, but she was still flushed with excitement at a successful first attempt at fighting.

For the first time, Hermione and Ron looked over at Ginny and Harry. Neither of them appeared to be awake for a moment, and then Ginny blinked and came back to reality.

"S-sorry… I guess it's my turn? You two were great!" she moved past the founders as if she was dreaming, and she barely felt the touch of cold metal against her hands as she summoned her ghost.

She knew the ghost didn't have eyes, but her gaze settled and intensified on the place they would have been. When Ginny began to move, it was at the same second the ghost did. Their fight looked more like a dance than anything else, each move flowing seamlessly into the next and each faster than the one before it. It took her about a minute to win the fight.

_My god_ she smiled at the thought, and at Harry's lack of response. She could feel him, every fibre of his being was wound tight, almost to breaking, as me moved oh so slowly towards Gryffindor.

Harry looked up into the founder's face and Gryffindor smiled as he passed Harry the sword. The metal sang against his skin, Harry was shocked that no one else (except maybe Ginny) could hear it. He moved to the spot the others had stood in and took a breath. He conjured a ghost and stared at it for a few seconds. When Harry finally chose to move, Ginny felt the rush of power that moved through him, and laughed to herself.

That one attack was all it took. The ghost was gone. This was everything the founders had hoped for.

_Behind you!_ Ginny was startled out of her thoughts by Harry's voice inside her head. She threw herself to the side and rolled to her feet. There were two ghosts behind her. Slytherin had a hand on Ron's shoulder; preventing him from interfering, and Gryffindor held Hermione back. The founders continued to conjure ghosts until Harry and Ginny were surrounded.

Harry felt Ginny against his back, her grip on her sword just as sure and true as his.

_Its odd we didn't have to learn this, isn't it?_ She couldn't resist talking to him, when she could feel all that he could.

_It's amazing… it feels right. This must be what the others feel when they use the old spells._ Harry twisted to smile at her and saw fire in her eyes that he knew was mirrored in his own. _Are you ready, Gin?_

_Always._

They moved as one, without thought or the need to plan an attack, they just were. They defeated ghost after ghost, not bothering to count, and with each moment they moved faster, and began to anticipate the other's next move and how to help them.

Eventually, after what seemed like a few seconds, but had really been almost an hour, the founders stopped replacing the ghosts that were killed.

"Just wait 'till the four of them fight together," Gryffindor said to Slytherin "that's going to be worth seeing." They laughed and called Ginny and Harry over to the others.


	20. A Race

Well, after the usual far-too-long wait, I finally managed to find some time to write wings!! Here it is, chapter 20 … which I think might actually be my favourite so far )

Shellsboy24 – thank you, that's really nice of you! Sorry my updates aren't that regular, I just snatch the time to write whenever I have it!

Dagger1211 – oh wow, thanks! I'm really glad you enjoy wings that much )

YOGA-MASTER – thanks for telling me ) at some point I'm going to get rid of the bad spelling and typos in the other chapters.

Ghetto Draco Malfoy – yeah, I did actually start doing that, and it's on my list of things to change when I sort out the chapters, I just need to find the time.

Bloodless Ace – hi there! I'm glad you thought so, but I'll try to be at least a bit quicker in the future!

Pettybureaucrat – that's the problem with work, I suppose, essays get in the way of wings! Anyway, thanks for being so nice about it )

Pour l'amour du stylo – well, I hope that after you reviewed you did get around to reading it! And I hope you liked it too!!!

Just before I start the chapter, I want to say a HUGE thank you to all of my reviewers because wings now has more than 200 reviews!!!!!!!!!!

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"Ok. Here are the rules." Hermione smiled at the other three "we each start from a different tower, Harry can have North, Ron can take East, Ginny can have South, I'll start from the West Tower and the race ends at the great hall."

Harry grinned at his friend "I like it! So anything goes?"

Ron, didn't like the look on Harry's face, it looked too much like Harry was planning something. "Well, maybe… maybe we can only use our elements when we're inside the castle?"

"So, normal magic is allowed on the towers but once we set foot inside, we can only use the elements?" Ginny considered the problem for a moment, until she had an idea. "Sure, that sounds good to me."

Harry sighed slightly, he couldn't use his first idea… of course there was more he could do with his earth element than make plants grow. "Once everyone is outside at the top of the towers, send up green sparks. Once I see all three of you, I'll send up red sparks, and we start."

It was raining. As usual. Ron would never be a fan of the rain, not like Hermione; she loved it. He shivered slightly as he leaned against the wall of his tower waiting for Ginny to arrive at South Tower so Harry could start the race.

He didn't have to wait long, Ginny sent up her sparks and then Harry shot red sparks up into the night sky. Ron yelled "Accio broom!" and then started to gather up the winds that were rushing past him. Once his magic gripped five of six of them, he began to weave them together into one powerful cyclone of air that he could fly inside. Once his broom appeared, Ron moved his cyclone until it surrounded him and used the air to speed his broom far past its usual limits as he disappeared along the corridor.

As soon as Hermione saw the red light from Harry, she pulled all the rain she could reach into her hands. She split the water into two basketball-sized orbs and balanced one under each foot. She gathered the strength of the tides around her and urged the water forward and down the stairs carrying her with it.

Ginny was saving her magic for when she was inside the castle, so after she saw Harry's signal, she leapt over the balcony and landed on the next floor down in panther form. She sped off into the maze of hallways.

Harry smiled to himself as he pulled his earth element around him. He's discovered a few days before that his element wasn't just earth at all. He managed to push himself as close to his vampire-state as he could, which gave him enough of the shadow-earth element mixture to let him fly from one shadow to the next. He reasoned that to just appear in the hall was against the rules so Harry was only moving as far as the next shadow he could see.

If he hadn't seen what Ron had done, this would have been enough for Harry. But he'd seen Ron flying so fast that he was certain that this way he wouldn't catch his friend. Harry started to pull parts of the shadows with him as he passed through them. He shaped each fragment until he had enough to attach to his shoulder blades.

Ron was starting to realise that despite being confident that he was the fastest, he was having trouble when he reached the corners of each corridor and so he had to slow enough for the winds to pull him around the corner. It was frustrating but exhilarating at the same time. Suddenly he had an idea and swerved around completely to go back up the corridor; they'd never said you HAD to travel inside the castle. Ron grinned as the window came into view and was forced open by his power.

After a few twists and turns of the corridor that Hermione was currently travelling through at break-neck speed, she realised that there was no reason to stay on the floor. She was faster moving the way water would, if it ever flooded the halls; moving up onto the walls as she flowed around corners. And a few seconds after that she laughed as she moved her water to surround her and called the power of that imaginary river into her. To any passers by (assuming she moved slow enough for them to have seen her, if any were in the charms corridor at half past twelve on a night Professor Snape was known to be patrolling,) she would have looked like she was underwater; her hair being pulled out to fan behind her in the water, with her suspended in mid air, the corners not slowing her one bit.

The sleek Black Panther that was Ginny had made its way to the main stairwell and was pouncing from staircase to staircase as they moved around her. Each time she reached a new floor, she used her power to force the doors on that floor to heat up and expand until they fused neatly with their frames and couldn't be opened. This meant that the other three could move freely around the school but they couldn't get into the great hall, which was only accessible through the entrance hall that was waiting so many floors beneath her. When she had worked her way down to the first floor, Ginny shifted back into her human form and if she hadn't been giddy with magic, she would have noticed it then.

Ginny pushed her power into the last door and laughed to herself. Once she caught her breath, the rush of her power had faded enough that she sensed darkness in the room with her. She turned, finally realising that he had caught up with her.

Harry subconsciously licked his lips as he saw Ginny's entire body shiver as she sensed him there and turned to face him.

Ginny knew it was a mistake. She knew it would cost her the race. She didn't care one bit. She raised her eyes until she looked deep into Harry's.

He smiled. He knew he had her, and he knew she had chosen it. He had Ginny under his power, his thrall, and he used it to draw her towards him.

Hermione thrust the water that surrounded her into the door that blocked her way, there was a hiss as the water evaporated, and the door swung open as the heat disappeared and wasn't replaced. She smiled as she moved through the door and slid into her lioness form. It was only then that she noticed the other two… or she would have, if Harry's power hadn't thrown her so much that she barely noticed which way she was walking. Resolutely, she growled to herself until she could focus on that noise rather than the pull of Harry's power.

Harry hadn't noticed Hermione enter, his whole being was occupied with Ginny and only Ginny, as she moved gracefully towards him.

Hermione moved towards the door to the entrance hall that stood open before her.

Ron could have screamed in frustration, his plan would have been perfect he could have gotten back into the castle when he's reached the ground floor. He'd spent the last minute adding more and more air to his cyclone in an attempt to get the school's doors to open. Finally, grudgingly, they started to move. Ron threw all his power into keeping them moving and the doors opened enough to let him fly through.

Hermione heard the school doors screech as the wind howled against them and she made a desperate leap for the hall as Ron appeared on his broomstick. Even then Ron still might have made it but he'd lost his grip on the winds so he misjudged the turn that would have sent him into the hall and he corrected his path in time to see the lioness that was his girlfriend leap powerfully over him and into the great hall.

"Oh, Dammit!" Ron yelled as the lioness skidded to a stop in the hall. Then suddenly, he laughed. Hermione turned back into her human form and hugged Ron. Once the adrenaline rush had subsided enough, Ron thoroughly congratulated his girlfriend with a kiss.

"Hey, where did Harry and Ginny get to?" Ron asked several minutes later.

"Hmm? Oh… last I saw, they were through there." She considered the rush of power that was contained in that room "maybe we should…"

Hermione let her sentence trail off as she walked to the door. "Ron? Why don't you set things up here?"

"Sure." Ron started to mark a huge circle onto the floor in flour. He trailed the white powder behind him and made sure to enclose as much of the room as possible in his circle. He was using flour so it could be clearly seen and cleaned up easily when they were finished. As he walked, he wondered where exactly the house tables were… but perhaps they only existed when they were needed, like some of the other rooms in the castle.

Hermione pushed the door to the entrance hall closed behind her and she gasped for air. There was so much tension in the room that it almost hurt. Harry and Ginny were standing about ten feet away from her, engulfed in shadow, and there was a meticulously maintained space of about an inch between the two. Their eyes were locked and she had the distinct impression that they hadn't noticed her enter.

Now that she was in human form, Hermione felt the power in the room in at entirely different, more personal, way… in fact… in fact she had felt it before… she forced herself to walk towards the pair and suddenly she remembered; the night of the transfiguration test. But… that meant… there was a vampire that night but somehow, it was Harry.

If his power, his thrall, had been directed at her she was fairly sure she wouldn't have been able to stand. Slowly she forced herself to reach out and touch her alpha.

"H-Harry?"

It was a small voice, tiny, inconsequential. Harry ignored it until a hand hesitantly touched his arm.

"Harry… can you hear me? The race is over."

The second time he heard it, Harry recognised the voice as Hermione's.

"Oh… sorry 'Mione, what did you say?" he released Ginny who swayed a little on her feet.

"The race… I won." She was looking at him as though she wasn't quite sure how he'd react.

"You did? That's great!" Ginny sounded like she was coming out of a daydream, as though Hermione's words were taking a while to make sense to her.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked

"I'm fine, it's just a bit…"

"Overwhelming?" Harry supplied.

"Exactly." Harry and Ginny smiled at each other.

"Harry… the night there was a vampire at the castle…" Hermione trailed off, she didn't need to continue; Harry's blush told her it had been him.

"It was the transfiguration test." He supplied. "It made me this. I'm not a vampire, I just borrow a few of their skills and I have a few of my own."

"That's amazing! Don't you know what you did to the school???" Hermione looked at Harry then smiled at Ginny.

"No, he doesn't." Ginny grinned at her friend. "He couldn't imagine it at all."

"Mione?" Ron called from the great hall "did you find them?"

"We're on our way, Ron" Harry called back.

Hermione laughed to herself as she left the room, Harry and Ginny following behind her. As Harry moved into the light, Ginny noticed something.

_Harry… Are those wings? _

_I made them _he smiled at her, deliciously slowly; just enough to show his fangs were there. He let his grip over the shadows go, and the magnificent wings melted back into nothing.

Ginny's nerves and control were both frayed more than she could make up for. She darted in front of him to slam the doors to the hall shut. _You better finish what you started… I can't take it. _

He was suddenly there, pushing her back and holding her up against the door. She didn't even see him move, and then his lips were on hers and she didn't care about anything else.

_Later Gin, I promise_ he trailed his fingers down her neck and took a breath before he stepped back.

Ginny sighed and followed him into the great hall.

Hermione and Ron were already at work; they were creating a circle that would keep all sound inside it. It was marked onto the floor with salt.

This was going to be their first attempt at fighting together. Officially, their first attempt was going to be with the founders in the morning, but just in case they were awful, they had decided to practise that night in the great hall. They chose the hall because it was the biggest room and seemed to be a very unlikely place for the teachers to look for students out of bed.

Once the four crossed the chalk line, there was silence around them; no sound entered or left the circle.

"This is perfect." Harry said as he started to conjure training ghosts.

"How many do we want?" Ron asked

"Enough to fit around the edge of the circle?" Hermione suggested "if we can keep their numbers at about fifty, it should work. They'll summon more if the numbers drop too much."

Harry nodded and once they were finished, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione drew the swords with wooden blades that they had been given. It had been Hermione's idea that she and Ron try to cast magic with the swords, and Ron tried it somewhat hesitantly.

The other three watched as Ron drew his sword in a sharp line across his body and a ghost was thrown backwards.

"Guess it works!" he grinned as his girlfriend.

Then they started to work together, casting in a perfect synchronised way that made is seem like they could read each others minds. Harry and Ginny moved around Ron and Hermione, keeping the ghosts away from them. The purpose was to practice working as a team so they weren't killing the ghosts themselves; they left it to the others.

For over an hour Harry and Ginny managed to hold the ghosts away from their friends as Ron and Hermione dispatched the ghosts, it took that long to get used to the new method of fighting and Ron and Hermione were almost lightning-quick with their spells.

"Ready to get rid of them?" Harry gasped as he spun out of the path of one ghost and swung his sword up to counter another's attack.

"Sounds great to me" Ginny called back. She was short of breath and was too busy concentrating on how Harry's shirt was sticking to him meaning that the ghosts had marked her with several 'cuts.' There was no blood, but they stung like the real thing.

"Want to give us a hand on this one?" Ron smiled

"Which spell?" Harry called

"The fire ball one?" Ginny said hopefully. Harry had almost broken her control and he knew he was doing it! She had realised when he deliberately brushed up against her as she passed him.

The four smiled and fire erupted all around them. It created a globe that expanded, destroying every ghost, until it hit the chalk circle where it dissipated. Their task finished, they sank to the floor, leaning against each other. Ron gestures towards the chalk and a breeze obligingly gathered the dust into the pouch Ron carried.

That was when they heard the polite cough.

The four shot upright.

"H-headmaster we-" Harry started without any idea of how he'd explain.

"Really mister Potter, we only wished to see how you were progressing." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he nodded to professor McGonagall who stood looking shocked behind him, and to professor Snape who was looking at the four gryffindors as though he was seeing them for the first time.


	21. A new perspective

Hello again, there's no much happening to me right now other than a desperate wish for Easter to get here because I gave up coke (that's Pepsi Max, not the other kind p) for lend and tea just doesn't fill the gap sigh

Oh, and the only problem with Easter actually being here is that I'd have deadlines and exams, so to help me ignore the mountain of work I should be doing, I thought you might like another chapter of wings! )

I'm afraid I don't like this chapter as much as some of the others … I think its just because everyone's apart and there isn't much conversation… or something!

Ranger Dragen – firstly, thank you so much for the reviews! It means a lot that you look the time to review almost every chapter while you were reading through wings! Secondly … well, you'll find out more about Snape in the next few chapters. (Sorry for being cryptic) the familiars will re-appear in a while, and the powers from Christmas have faded… for now, at least. )

AdeleTCurlz - I'm so flattered that you think Wings is that good! it's so kind of you and I hope you keep enjoying it!

dragon rider – I love your name! Thank you so much for adding me to your favourites, I'm happy you like wings so much. I'm not really sure where I get the ideas from, they just come to me, I guess… perhaps it's a side effect of having two essays that I really should be doing now. Well, wings isn't finished, there's still time for lemons (hopefully next chapter). Snape and Harry fighting? … I like that idea …

BooksAreLife – I really am sorry that it takes me so long, I just have to find the time and the energy, and lately it seems really hard to get both at once!

shellsboy24 – thank you! I hope you're still enjoying it!

Toghgal – thanks! And by the way, that part makes be laugh too )

Pettybureaucrat – thank you, well everyone's having fun because it's all about to start getting a bit more serious.

Bloodless Ace – hehehe thanks!

Chrissy – hello again ) how did I come up with it? Well, I guess it's a mixture of what I would do and what I actually think my characters would do… if that makes any sense at all! Oh and, I'm happy you managed to read the last chapter, I was worried that was acting up or something ) thanks for the review!

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Ron and Hermione were still riding the rush of power so it took a few moments for them to stop grinning at each other and to realise that Ginny, who was facing the doors, was looking shocked and just short of horrified.

Biting her lip, Hermione turned in time to see Snape leave the room before her attention became fixed, along with everyone else's, on the headmaster.

"Well, I had noticed that you had been improving, but I had no idea you were this far along!" Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling, "yes, that makes my news easier to give."

"Albus…" Professor McGonagall, who was still looking very pale, started to talk. "Albus… I thought it was supposed to be a legend"

"It is, Minerva. But then, so are Chambers of Secrets with basilisks inside, and you saw how real that turned out to be." Dumbledore smiled and turned back to the three children… no, the three adults, that stood before him. All three were still trying to catch their breath and looking wide-eyed at their teachers. It had been a long time since he'd enjoyed himself so much.

"So they are… they have been selected?"

"The founders call us 'The Chosen,' if that's what you mean?" Ginny found herself saying, having no idea what her professor had meant.

"The chosen?" Dumbledore repeated, "a fine name, and I think they chose well."

"Excuse me, professor?" Hermione stepped forwards "which legend do you mean?"

"If I may?" Dumbledore began "you are aware that you are not the first group to be selected by the founders, and I doubt that you will be the last. For the most part, history remembers those that were selected because they achieved great things and so their legends have been created. Few know that Hogwart's founders had anything to do with it.

Those that do know, have been told the legend behind the Book of Belonging; that the book will test each student and if fate is willing, it will find those rare students who possess the right qualities, startling amounts power and the right minds to accomplish the near impossible."

"Yes." McGonagall said, "I knew about the book, but I suspected, headmaster, that you may have been…"

"Stringing you along?" he chuckled, "no Minerva, at least about that, I was telling the truth. Which means that this display was part of their training." His eyes twinkled at them all.

"At least this explains things." Professor McGonagall sighed and smiled slightly at the three.

"So you aren't angry with us?" Ron ventured, "for being out after curfew?"

"I have found, Mister Weasley, that suddenly I don't mind at all." Dumbledore said.

Snape held Harry's eyes for a moment and Harry saw emotion after emotion fly through them. Then without saying a word, Snape left and something in his eyes made it clear that Harry should follow.

_I'll come back in a little while_ Harry said to Ginny who glanced at him.

_If you need me…_ she smiled at him before he turned and followed Snape into the entrance hall.

Severus Snape we not used to changing his opinion on someone. He had met Harry Potter and had known him to be just like his father before him, he had known him to be spoilt rotten by his family and he had known him to be a false hero of the wizarding world. Severus had saved his own life time and again by reading people and knowing them. So it was understandable that it had come as a shock to him when Albus called him into his office to show him just how wrong he was.

The headmaster had told him about the founders selecting the four Gryffindors and their reasons for doing so. Potter to lead them, the Weasley girl to guide him, Granger for her logic and the Weasley boy for strategy. These weren't the only reasons, or even the most important ones, but they were the ones the headmaster thought Severus would listen to. He had refused to believe the headmaster's words at first but after seeing the boy, he had finally, finally started to doubt his assumptions about Potter.

Severus had encountered the book of Belonging once before. In fact, he had stolen it when he was in his fifth year. He hadn't believed the book's legend and hadn't believed it had a link to the founders. The book had proved itself to him.

Snape turned to look at Potter. He stood opposite him, twenty feet away across the entrance hall, and met his look. For the first time, Potter wasn't being defiant or defensive. He wasn't looking in hatred or misunderstanding or confusion. He was giving Severus the same look he'd received a few minutes ago; as though he had never seen the potions master before.

Harry had followed Snape in silence, waiting for the inevitable sarcasm or insult, which never came. Snape led the way into the entrance hall and Harry noticed that the way Snape moved was not just intended for intimidating others or just to make his robes billow behind him, it was the way Harry found himself moving. It was for speed and balance and, most importantly, to defend against an attack.

"You…" Harry began to talk but then remembered he was talking to a teacher, and not one likely to answer questions. "Sir, you can fight?"

Whatever Snape had expected him to say, that wasn't it.

"Yes." Snape had answered without thinking. But it had given him an idea.

"Potter," he began "the headmaster tells me you are to defend the school."

Harry blinked. There was no insult in Snape's voice, no sneer, just a statement. "Yes, sir, but not alone, the others-"

"I know, potter." He did it again; answered before he could talk himself into realising this was James Potter's son, he was trying to see one of the founder's selections. It seemed to be the only way he could do this. Potter was standing strong before him and was maintaining a level of politeness he wouldn't have expected from the boy.

Severus would never be able to explain how much it cost him to say his next works. "Potter, there is a… problem. You… The Chosen need to be told."

Harry's eyes widened. He knew Snape was a spy but the fact that it was Snape that was telling him this, and not the Dumbledore was astonishing.

"What do you need?" Harry was finding this easier than he's expected. He wasn't seeing the potions master that he had hated for so long, he was managing, barely, to see the spy instead.

Snape sighed, but if anyone else had done it, it would have almost been a laugh.

"I am supposed to… scare you. I am told to attack you and measure your progress." This time Harry had a fleeting glimpse of how hard it was for Snape to do this, and he found that he actually respected Snape for doing it.

"It wasn't the headmaster that told you." Harry smiled wryly.

"No. It was not." Again Harry heard that sigh that could have been a laugh.

"Then perhaps…" Harry considered for a second. "Perhaps you should do it. Attack me, then… then you wont lie when you report it."

Snape had no clue what he would have said. Potter solved the problem; he shifted into a 'ready' stance and lifted his practice sword.

Snape matched him though, understandably, the sword that Snape summoned was the real thing not a wooden imitation. Granted the wood of Harry's sword was as strong as metal and only stopped the sword from actually cutting into anything, but it would have made Harry feel better to have a live weapon.

"No magic." Harry nodded at Snape's words

He let Snape attack first. Snape was fast, faster than Harry had expected even after realising that Snape must know how to fight. In turn, Harry's block was faster and stronger than Snape had been expecting and for a brief moment, they both had the same thought, as though it was the final piece to make the puzzle complete, they realised it; they had been completely wrong about the other.

Which, they reasoned, didn't mean they had to like each other and didn't mean they had to hold back.

Each one of Snape's attacks was met and parried by Harry who would then defend against Snape's next move. The fight fell into a rhythm so easily that it took Snape a moment to realise why. He broke away from Harry.

"Why are you holding so much back?" for a second, he thought Potter wouldn't answer.

"Why are you?" said Harry before attacking Snape again.

And how much are you holding back? Snape thought to himself.

This time it was different, they didn't trust each other enough to let go because this strange new truce between them might not have lasted, but the fight was becoming more real as it progressed. Each attack was stronger than the last, and each parry or jump was quicker. Step by step, they were becoming more dangerous and using more complicated and difficult moves. If Harry had any spare time to think, he would have been astounded at his professor and would have recognised his style sooner.

Without realising it, and while dancing between the whirl of brown and silver blades, Harry and Snape moved through the doors and fought viciously for the advantage of going down the stairs after the other, and therefore not having to do it backwards.

By this time all semblance of control was gone, the fight was more graceful and elegant than it should have been because both men refused to let their emotions get in the way.

Harry threw Snape off-balance and dropped to the floor to sweep Snape's legs from under him. Snape managed to jump in time but was distracted while Harry regained his balance and aimed a slash at Snape's side. Snape anticipated it and moved aside using his cloak to mask his movement and-

"You-" Harry gasped for breath as he realised, then had to duck Snape's next attack "you were trained by the founders! But… how? You weren't chosen by them"

"The book." Snape jumped to avoid Harry's sword. Severus was moving faster than he thought he could, he was working so hard now to keep up with Harry that he wasn't sure how much longer he could stand it. "The book of belonging taught me this style, I could already fight."

Harry nodded and suddenly decided that there was no point in carrying on. He and Snape had done what Tom had wanted and more than that, it had achieved what Dumbledore had hoped for.

Harry was holding back a lot, he had thought that Snape was too, so when he started to move faster he half expected the potions master to do the same. There was less than a second between Harry deciding to stop holding himself back and Snape being sprawled out on the grass with Harry's sword pointed at him.

"And all that with a wooden sword." Snape said as Harry offered his hand.

They went back into the entrance hall together and Snape found that he could finally say what he had come to say.

"There's going to be an attack on Hogwarts."

All traces of the enjoyment and the fight were gone form Harry's eyes in a moment, and his alpha-self was back. "When?"

"After the ball tomorrow." Snape said.

"Ball?" Harry hadn't even known there was one.

"The headmaster announced it last week. It's a costume ball; an excuse to be armed and to keep the students in one place."


	22. Absinthe

Hello again, I'm sorry about how long it's been since I updated, I've tried so many times to write this chapter, I just couldn't seem to get it right before. My next update should be sooner because I only have one exam left now )

**Toghgal **– I'm flattered that you think so highly of wings, but there is some really outstanding writing on you'll find fics far better than Wings! From a selfish point of view, I hope you'll keep reading wings and loving it! )

**Chrissy** – hello again ) I love that your review seems like you were on a sugar high! And you can NEVER have too many of these - !!!!!!!! hehehe! Enjoy!

**Randl Scot** – thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this chapter )

**Ranger Dragen** – yep, Snape found the book, I like the thought that he actually knows what it means to be chosen, because he never was… it isn't that he's jealous, he just knows that the four must be extraordinary to have been able to learn from the founders because the little they were able to teach him has made him so powerful. … ooo sorry that's a bit of an essay! Anyway, hope you like the new chapter!

**pettybureaucrat **– I love any excuse for a ball, though this is the last one I have planned… but I could be convinced to do another later on ) I don't know too much about the technicalities of fighting so all the fights will be described like that one, I'm glad you liked it.

**shellsboy24** – thanks so much!

**Floyddickey** – again, I really do like your story so far! Hope you keep reading wings!

**Rin Hitokiri** – thanks, and I'm sorry my updates always take a while

**Angry mob outside ur house** – ok, you have a point, I'll update D PS. Nice laugh!

**­3-left-turns** – wonderful name! Yeah, I love the vampire parts as well… the thing is, I was only supposed to have it happen in one chapter, but somehow, it's become plot! What a shame hehehe ) hope you enjoy the chapter!

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Harry and Snape fell back into step with their respective groups so seamlessly that no one really noticed they'd been gone. Except of course, for Ginny, who was giving Harry a look somewhere between worry and fascination.

_What happened?_ She asked as the four make their way back to Gryffindor tower.

Hermione and Ron had paused to talk to Professor McGonagall before the teachers (who still looked slightly shocked) walked towards what the four could only assume to be some sort of staff room… or perhaps to the kitchen for something more alcoholic. After all, the Chosen were a lot to take in, and Snape found himself especially in need of the particular blend of life-affirming and mind-numbing qualities that only strong alcohol seemed to possess.

"Minerva-?" He began, once he was sure that both the Chosen and the Headmaster were all out of sight.

"I sincerely hope that your next sentence involves the offer of something stronger than pumpkin juice, Severus." McGonagall smiled at the potions master with whom she had always shared a rather low-key, and slightly unexpected, friendship.

"Of course, Minerva. I am of the opinion that the kitchen is rather overstocked with several particular forms of alcohol, and I happen to have discovered an excess of this" he pulled a vial of emerald green fairy dust from inside his cloak.

"You're going to make Absinthe?" McGonagall was shocked, Snape normally had to be begged, bribed or forced into even considering making the drink… Though that was mostly because they were so fond of the drink that any occasion involving it resulted in a spectacular hangover the next day.

"My dear, what precisely is the point of becoming a Potions Master if you never put your skill to good use?" Snape gave his sighing laugh and offered his arm to Minerva as the made their way to the kitchens.

The third time Ginny's question was left unanswered, she stopped Harry and looked into his eyes.

"Harry, can you hear me?" she said aloud, refusing to let worry creep into her voice.

"Ginny?" Ron turned to watch his sister.

"What's wrong with Harry?" Hermione asked as she ran to catch up with Ginny. "He looks- Ginny, what do you see in his eyes?"

Ginny stared deeper into Harry's eyes that Hermione or Ron could dream of seeing.

"They're black… His eyes are black." Ginny's voice had dropped to a whisper.

"They… they still look green to me." Ron said to Hermione.

"Me too." She replied as he took her hand.

"Can he hear us?" Ron wondered as he moved closer to Harry.

Ginny sighed and kissed Harry. After a few seconds, he still hadn't responded, so she moved back just in time to see the blackness move back into place in his eyes. "It's almost as if he's… somewhere else."

Ron decided not to comment on the kiss. "What if we attack him? It might force him to react."

"Well, it might work." Ginny said as she moved back from Harry. Slowly she called her power and shaped a fireball in her right hand.

The three of them collectively drew in a breath as Ginny threw the fire at Harry.

For a moment, his eyes flashed green and he dodged the flame. Then the blackness was back.

"Well, it almost worked… maybe if we just do more?" Ginny glanced over at the other two. For the first time, it occurred to her that they were waiting for her orders… and that made her realise how often she waited for orders from Harry. It was unconscious, she never realised she did it, but she wondered suddenly, if Harry noticed it. If he minded… it seemed so strange to her … but then, she wasn't supposed to be the alpha.

"Ok. We do this together. Aim for his knees, if he jumps, maybe that will be enough to bring him back." _Well, it almost sounds like I know what I'm doing_ she thought

As one, they moved, this time drawing their swords and walking towards Harry. Ron and Hermione swung low, at his knees and Harry jumped above their blades. As he moved, they were thrown back across the corridor and they hit the floor twenty feet away. Ginny has expected Harry to jump so when he did, she moved with him. Ginny used her momentum to push Harry against a wall and this time, the kiss she gave him was enough to bring him back.

Harry gasped and clung to Ginny as his knees gave way.

_Harry?! Harry? Can you hear me now?_

_I-I heard you before Gin I just couldn't answer you._

Harry watched as Ron and Hermione pulled themselves up onto their knees and they collectively made the decision that standing was far too hard.

"Harry?" Ron ventured.

"I'm fine, Ron, really" Harry smile at them.

"Then why haven't your eyes changed back?" Ginny asked.

_Where were you Harry?_

"This is… do you remember the armour and the swords we had to conjure? The founders said we'd know when we could do it."

"But Harry…" Hermione said as she leaned against Ron "I don't feel any different."

_It's because of you isn't it? You're holding the power back._

Harry looked over at Ginny and smiled.

_I think this is why we were supposed to wait for the founders before we fought together. _

"I'm holding the power back… I was hoping we could get outside, or to the tower but… I'm losing control"

"Is this going to hurt?" Hermione asked

"I have no-" the rest of the sentence was lost as the elements broke free from Harry's hold and rushed into each of the four. Hermione and Ron were lifted together since Air and Water had created a way to share them. Ginny was pushed back against the wall as her hair moved in the flames that consumed her and Harry was pulled alongside her into the shadows she cast.

Strangely, it didn't hurt… or at least, not in any way they had expected… it was like a rush of adrenaline. They were all suddenly more alive, more aware and more powerful. That feeling moved through them with an edge of pain but it was too good to really hurt.

When the power released them, they lay where they had fallen, and gasped for breath.

_Are you ok, Gin?_ Harry's voice didn't just sound in her mind; it moved through her like silk and leather, it was familiar and slightly icy, and it brought a sound that was almost a moan from her lips.

_Ginny?_

_Are- Are you doing that on purpose, Harry?_ Harry's breath rushed from him as she spoke. His power had made his mind cold and dark, it was powerful and safe, and Ginny's voice lit a fire within his mind that burned him as she whispered to him. It hurt so wonderfully that he never wanted it to stop.

_What do you feel when I talk, Gin?_

_It's like thrall… but I can still think past it… it feels-_

_It hurts?_

_Not in a bad way. Never in a bad way._

_Good._

It was lucky that Ron and Hermione were still coming down from their power-high, but it wouldn't have stopped Harry anyway. He pulled Ginny against him and kissed her with so much heat and passion that it took her a moment to realise that she'd cut her lip. In fact it wasn't until Harry tasted blood in the kiss, and it made him want her even more, that he realised his fangs were back.

Together, they pulled back from the kiss and studied the other; they were both dressed entirely in black. Harry wore loose fitting trousers tied at the waist, and a tight sleeveless top. His arms were encased from wrist to elbow in leather, and there was a scabbard on his back that left his sword in easy reach over his right shoulder. He knew without looking that this new sword was the live weapon now, rather than the wooden blade that he had been using. Its hair was bound back from his face using a strip of leather, and as they had already noticed, his fangs flashed white against the red of his lips and the black of his clothes.

Ginny was wearing shorts under a wrap-over skirt that was knee length from behind but only about five inches long at the front. She wore a strapless top that was long enough to touch the top of the skirt but left her shoulder blades uncovered, and had on fingerless gloves to protect her hands. Her hair was left down, but the gold streaks were almost burning with intensity. When Harry traced a familiar pattern on her cheek, she realised that the glittered design much have reappeared and that her shoulder blades must be free for the wings, if she had the power to call them. Her sword hung at her waist, positioned so she could draw it quickly from where it rested at her right hip.

_Harry?_

_Hmm? _Harry refused to move his eyes away from Ginny's outfit but decided the compromise was worth it when she pulled him to her and kissed him, letting the fire race through them both.

_Did your tattoo move?_

_It's on my shoulder blade _said Harry, who hadn't noticed it's absence, but had suddenly known where it had moved itself to. _We can talk later Gin _he said as he pushed her higher against the wall so he could move his hips against hers.

_Oh- you promised me something far more interesting than talk for 'later'_ she said as she felt her body respond to Harry's cold touch.

_Believe me, I remember. _ Harry broke the kiss to slide his fangs across the skin of her neck, not biting, but teasing her. _They're-they're waking up Gin, we have to stop._

_One day, you're going to say that, and I wont let you. _She smiled as she stood again, a little unsteadily, next to Harry.

_I look forward to it. _He smiled back at her, but 'smile' didn't cover the lust in his eyes, or the way he let his lips slide over his fangs just to feel her reaction.

Ron was the next to wake up, and he suddenly found himself in tight black leather trousers and boots that he's never seen before. For a moment, he marvelled at the sword that hung from the belt at his waist, but then he looked over at Hermione, who couldn't move her eyes away from his body. She traced the lines of his body that were exposed by the fitted t-shirt Ron wore and when he offered her a hand, she felt the cool touch of leather, and noticed the gloves he wore.

Ron couldn't help but appreciate the dress Hermione wore as she stood. Her hair was pulled back with a black ribbon, and the dress she wore was v-necked and came to mid thigh. The skirt flared and swirled around her as she moved, but like all the outfits, it made no noise. Hermione had her sword attached to a belt so she could easily draw it, and she also noticed that there was a dagger hidden in each of her knee-high boots.

When Ron and Hermione drew back from the kiss they had deliberately kept far less passionate than they'd wanted. They noticed each other's eyes as the ones of their animal forms, and smiled at the realisation that this state now felt far more comfortable than their 'normal' appearance.


	23. Hero or Villain?

Hello again! I managed to get tickets to go and see Harry Potter yesterday and I loved it! Book 5 isn't normally my favourite but… well, honestly I may have been swayed by the presence of Severus AND Lucius but I won't admit to it hehehe

**I love Ginerva** – thank you for the wonderful review, and the message hehehe and as usual I'm sorry for the wait for the chapter… honestly I don't know why it takes me so long to update, I just never seem to be able to write it AND have the time to do it!

**Dare-deviless – **I'm flattered by the praise and, as you know, flattery will get you everywhere (lol) so I'm happy to present the new chapter as requested!

**Randl Scot –** I'm glad you're enjoying it! Yeah, it has gone rather gothic, hasn't it?… oh well, I love it! and I guess that's the way it wants to be written! Hope you like the chapter, and have a good day!

**Chrissy** – Hi again! I know, I'm sorry that I always make you wait so long between chapters, it's mean of me… I just can't seem to get into the right mood to write the chapters at the moment… plus I was a bit worried at writing anything so lemon-ish… well, we'll see how it goes!

Bloodless Ace – haha me too, I love Harry's almost vamp-ness … although there are some shocking continuity errors in this fic that I NEED to sort out soon! I'll get to them soon, I hope! Enjoy the chapter! 

**Girlbrighteyes** – yeah I loved the fairy dust too!

**asdfjkl; - **now that you mention it, I see what you mean… they seem ok on my versions but once I upload them it goes a bit wonky… I'll try to sort them out. Hope you like the new chapter.

**Toghgal – **aww, thank you so much!

**Kuuunai** – yep, it is! I'm impressed you spotted it! I haven't actually read the book (I liked the gunslinger but I think I got distracted after that one) but a friend of mine gave me the line… actually I should have put that in a disclaimer… maybe this counts?

**Kawaii Yashie** – thanks! I hope you enjoy the chapter, and sorry it took so long!

**Pettybureaucrat** – I'm glad you liked the transformations, I debated for a while about putting them in, but in the end I liked them too much to leave out! Hope you like the new chapter too!

**HogwartsAngel101** – thank you so much for the review and I'm finally bowing to the requests and having a go at something more lemon-y in this chapter… hopefully it'll work out ok! And I really am sorry about the gaps between chapters.

You know, I SWORE to myself I'd upload this before book 7 and I made it… by almost a day, I'm actually quite proud!!

And just to let you know, I'll be trying to post the next chapter at the end of next week.

……………………………………………………………………………………….

By the time the four had managed to stagger back to their common room, they realised just how much energy it must have taken for them to actually do everything that'd done that night.

The game and the fight had been enough to make them crave sleep like it was all they had worth living for, but after they summoned their armour, and Harry had once again forced himself to stand up to the elements in an attempt to control them, there was literally no room for anything but sleep in their minds.

Harry was dragged from the blissful embrace of sleep around lunchtime the next day because he knew he'd forgotten to do something. For a few moments, he stared blearily at the ceiling in confusion, not only because he was trying to remember what he'd forgotten, but also because it wasn't actually his ceiling… in fact… now he looked around, he was lying on the floor of the common room.

Behind him, Ron was sprawled out across the sofa that Harry assumed he's just fallen off, and Hermione and Ginny were leaning against each other where they lay on the sofa opposite.

Yawning, Harry stood and made his way over to the notice board on which was pinned the notice that had gone completely unnoticed by the Chosen.

_Ginny, did you know the theme of the ball is 'Heroes and Villains'? Sounds like fun to me_

But she didn't reply.

_Ginny? … Ginny!_

Harry walked back across the room and shook her gently but she didn't respond.

"Ron? Hermione?" Harry almost shouted to them and was finally rewarded with a sleepy grunt that came from Ron's general direction.

Satisfied that they were not hurt, just as tired as he felt, Harry was about to go back to sleep himself (although not on the floor this time) when he suddenly remembered what it was that he had forgotten; the Founders.

It was only as that thought occurred to him, that he noticed he was still wearing his armour, and so were the others. In fact, he discovered as he tried every way he could think of to banish the black outfit, it seemed that they were stuck wearing them.

Less than half an hour later, Harry walked into the clearing where the founders were gathered.

"Is everything alright?" Helga asked as she walked over to Harry. "We were expecting you hours ago."

"It's- well, I have some news but-" he began

"You are aware, I presume, of the sword on your back?" Slytherin questioned with a raised eyebrow, as though he had known (and was quite proud) that the four would have summoned their armour before they were supposed to have.

"Ah- yes, I was getting to that." Harry almost blushed at the highly amused looks he was getting of all four of the founders.

"So the others are sleeping off the after-effects?" Godric said "you know, if you'd waited for us, we could have given you this sooner. It will help you all if you drink it Harry."

Rowena passed a bottle of blue potion to Harry, who drank it as instructed, and felt that slowly… VERY slowly, the cotton wool that had replaced his mind was disappearing. He still felt sluggish and thinking seemed far too difficult but it definitely was getting better.

"That's amazing, what's in it?" Harry asked the raven-haired witch

"You really don't want me to answer that" she replied with a wink "but it's starting to wake the others up too."

"Onto the next thing then?" Godric smiled at Harry.

"I can't seem to… I'm not sure if 'banish' is the right word? I can't seem to take off the armour." Harry sighed as he took off the too-long robes that he'd thrown on to hide what he was really wearing, and reminded himself to give them back to Ron.

"Ah, well that's easier than you might think. What you need to do is create a trigger word to induce the chance, and another to end it." Helga explained, with a smile.

"So, we choose these words and then if we say them or think them, we'll transform?" Harry that he was still too tired to be more interested in the concept, but it did seem to make a strange sort of sense to him. "Well- it should probably be something we weren't going to say often then… maybe something in another language? What did the last group use?"

"They used 'Henge' to transform and 'Kai' to change back" Rowena smiled.

"It's a good idea, Japanese should work for us too." He had been thinking of using French, but he realised Hermione was too far away to ask her for the words, and it seemed too important to wait.

"Just think the words and but your whole will behind it." Slytherin instructed. "And don't think about your outfit, just about the words."

Harry nodded and mentally said _kai!_ He opened his eyes, but nothing had changed. _Again, then! KAI!_ This time, he demanded it of himself. The Alpha part of him, the part that knew orders were to be followed without question, believed the armour was gone, and so when Harry opened his eyes, it was. He was wearing the clothes he'd run the race in, complete with holes torn into the back where he's made wings for himself.

He smiled up at the Founders for a moment and then thought _henge!_ it clicked in his mind… and, he suspected, in the minds of the others, and his armour appeared once more.

"Well, you seem to have the hang of it, what was your news?" Godric asked, as they sat down on the grass.

……………………………………………………………………

When Hermione opened her eyes, she was shocked to see that herself, Ginny and Ron were sleeping in their common room, and that Harry was missing. She glanced over at Ginny who had been resting her head on Hermione's shoulder, to see that the red-haired witch was also waking up, and it seemed to be taking Ginny just as long as it was taking her.

When the girls had pulled themselves close enough to reality to realise that they needed caffeine, they set out for the kitchens. After pulling on their long school robes to hide their outfits.

"Do you think Ron'll be ok on his own?" Ginny asked, mid-yawn.

"Well, I think it's safer to wake him when you've brought him food, than without." Hermione grinned at her friend who giggled despite her tiredness.

They spent the rest of the journey to the kitchens discussing the leather clad state in which they found themselves and more than once drifted off into wondering aloud exactly how exactly they could get the boys out of their armour.

After they'd visited the kitchens and were loaded down with enough food to feed half of their year group, their talk turned to the evening's ball.

"The theme was 'Heroes and Villains', wasn't it?" Ginny asked.

"Yes… I think it'd be fun to have something that matches a bit more, for the four of us, don't you?"

"What did you have in mind?" Ginny said, a slow smile spreading across he face in anticipation of one of Hermione's brilliant ideas.

"I'm not sure just yet… but I think we could create something between the two of us."

……………………………………………………………………………………..

When Ron woke up, he stared disbelieving at the clock that told him it was already three in the afternoon.

"Oh well," he muttered to himself "it's not like we really need to go to class" he then spent the next few minutes trying to remember what day it was, and gave up, thinking that from the amount of (slightly sinister) laughter coming from his and Hermione's room, the girls were here as well.

He was just debating whether or not to go and look for Harry at the quidditch pitch when the girls wandered into the room.

"You can't get rid of yours either, then?" Ron asked, looking them over.

"Not yet, but we do have these." Ginny said showing Ron her handful of necklaces.

"Err.. .well they're pretty and all but… have I missed something?" He said as he watched the girls spread them out onto the coffee table.

"They were Hermione's idea" Ginny continued "they're our costumes for tonight."

"Just them?" Ron said going slightly red at the mental image of his girlfriend that appeared in his mind.

"They have a glamour attached." Hermione said in a quite voice that make him wonder if she knew exactly what he'd been imagining. "We each put on a necklace, and out costume appears, but we're really wearing whatever we have on when we add the necklace." She smiled in satisfaction of having created something to help them.

Ron picked up one of the lengths of black cord and examined the purple mist inside marble-like orb that hung from it.

"So, what are the costumes?" Ron smiled as he put the purple necklace back with the others.

"Well, it's a surprise really." Said Ginny, who had come up with the idea for the outfits. "All you need to do is decide which you want to be."

"Hero or Villain?" Ron wondered aloud. "Wait a sec," He said as he noticed the satisfied look on his sister's face "there isn't a- a Snape costume or anything?"

"My dear Ronald," She deadpanned "I'm afraid you won't know until it's too late."

……………………………………………………………………………..

Eventually, Hermione and Ron had decided to go out to the forest for an hour before the ball, and Ginny had stayed behind to try to talk to Harry. She had made a few attempts to speak to him that day, but it had seemed like he was somehow just beyond her reach. Normally the thought would have scared her, but she was fairly sure he was with the Founders and so she was content (at least for now) to wait for him.

_Harry?_ He didn't answer her and so she decided to read for a while.

The thing was, she realised, that she couldn't seem to concentrate an anything. Since Ron and Hermione weren't around to distract her, she was left letting Harry be the centre of her attention even when he wasn't there. In fact, she remembered suddenly, she wasn't altogether pleased with Harry. _That's right! I'm not. You're awful, totally and utterly-_

_You're angry with me?_ Ginny jumped slightly at his voice, and she hid her smile from him.

_Furious. You broke your promise. Again._ She waited and let some of her happiness at his being safe creep into her mental voice as she spoke to him.

_You're right._

_You really should make it up to me, Harry, don't you think?_

…_Are you on you own?_

_I - sorry, what?_

_I said, Ginny, _Harry's voice became lower, sinful and far more dangerous. _Are you on your own?_

What could she do? She thought dizzily, surely there was no harm in telling the truth?

…_yes._

_Then I want you to go to our room, can you do that?_

_I'm there._

_Then close your eyes… and keep them closed._

_I promise._

_Listen to me Ginny… I want to be sure you'll hear each word… and don't just let it be words… feel it like it's happening… I want you to feel my words as if I'm standing there with you._

_What do you want me to feel? What would you do if you were here?_

_Your hair… I'd move it back, away from your face… I'd let my hand slide into your hair and I'd look into your eyes, just to see the gold in them…_

Ginny couldn't help herself, she was leaning against the hard wood of her door and even though she knew he wasn't there, she leaned into that imaginary touch. The more she listened to him, the deeper she felt like she was falling… as though somewhere in that darkness, if she fell far enough, he would be there.

_… I'd let my fingers trace the edge of your shirt, after I'd undone the buttons and it'd be so light, you'd hardly be able to feel it, but you'd know…_

And she could feel him… almost. His voice had become almost tangible, as though if she reached out to touch the sound it would really be there, she would feel the brush of cool silk and the press of icy leather against her skin.

_…I'd let the shirt fall to the floor and just for a moment, I'd stop, just to let you catch your breath and realise I had stopped. And I'd know you were going to ask, so I'd trace you lips with a finger, because if we said anything then, it would be ruined…_

Ginny supposed that she knew somewhere… somewhere inside her mind… some rational part of her knew that he wasn't there and that she was fully dressed and standing in her room… but she couldn't bring herself to care… she could feel her body reacting to that ghostly touch… she could feel her body heating as though fire raced under her skin, and she knew it would burn if he really touched her then.

_And so I'd move backwards, just a little, so there was space between us. I'd let you notice I'd moved, and let you realise what it meant. Then I'd trace the hemline of your skirt and watch you arch against that door… I'd watch you part your lips and breathe deeply and I'd wait… I'd wait for you to whisper that one word into the silence…I'd wait, Ginny…I'd wait for you to say…_

"Please."She couldn't help herself, even if it was a fantasy, she could enjoy it for as long as the dream lasted, couldn't she? She could move her legs apart slightly and feel his hand tracing a pattern just above her knee… she could arch again and turn her head to the side and grasp at the doorframe so she didn't fall… and when he carried on, his hand inching higher and higher, she could bite her lip… and when he slid her underwear down her legs and let it fall, she could taste the blood on her lips and when he finally whispered to her to-

"Look at me, Ginny" Harry whispered into her ear as he slid himself inside her. He felt her gasp and her body shiver around him. He licked the blood from her lips and they moved together in their own perfect synchronicity, pressed against that door with blood and power and lust burning through them, until finally they slid to the floor and let silence be enough for a few minutes longer.

………………………………………………………………………………….

Harry kissed Ginny one last time as they heard Hermione and Ron call out to their friend that they were back, and he moved back outside Gryffindor tower the way he had entered it; through the shadows. He emerged around a corner from the Fat Lady's portrait and he gave the password and wandered through the common room and into the Chosen's common room to find the other three sitting at the coffee table.

"Harry!" grinned Ron "we haven't seen you all day!"

"I know, sorry about that, I managed to get rid of the armour though." He glanced at Hermione and Ron whose armour had disappeared as he had commanded it back in the clearing with the founders.

"Will that happen every time?" Hermione wondered.

"No, when you need it, you just call for it. You say, or think, 'Henge' to summon it and 'Kai' to get rid of it again." Harry smiled as both Ron and Hermione tried it and then laughed at the look of surprise on Ron's face as it worked.

_Do you forgive me then?_ He glanced at Ginny who was looking as though her mind was somewhere other than that common room.

_Oh definitely! … Unless… if I say 'no' will you do that again?_

_You know, you could just ask me, Ginny?_

_And where's the fun in that?_

"What are those?" Harry said, pointing to the eight necklaces spread out on the table, each with a different coloured glass marble on them.

"They're our costumes for the ball. Hermione and I made them." Ginny said.

"They say we have to pick; hero or villain, and then they'll give us the costume." Ron's tone was slightly wary, so Harry realised that Ron too had no idea of what the costumes actually were.

"Ah… well, before we get to that, I should tell you about my day. I spent most of it with the Headmaster, Snape and McGonagall. They've changed the wards around the edge of the grounds slightly so they'll act more like an alarm-"

"Ginny told us that there would be Deatheaters?" Hermione asked, a little nervous at the thought of their first real fight. But she managed a smile, albeit a small one, as Ron took her hand in a comforting gesture.

"I know, it's sooner that I would have liked but… I don't think there's anything we can do. When they arrive… when they apparate, the wards will be tripped and Dumbledore will be able to tell us how many there are… from there we'll have at least 10 minutes to decide what to do while they walk here."

"How many do you think… I mean… is it an army?" Ginny's voice quivered a little at the thought.

"No, thank god, it isn't an army. This is supposed to show us that they aren't afraid of Dumbledore, so there won't be many, it's more of a stunt that a real attempt to take over the school." Harry was happy at the effect of his words; the others sat a little straighter, more confident of their chances against a small group of Deatheaters.

"A hero." Ron said as his smile slid into place "I think I feel like a hero today. What about you, Harry?"

"A villain." He said, giving Ginny a meaningful look that made her blush. (a fact that Ron chose to pretend he couldn't see)

"Well then, that's the Blue necklace for Ron, and the Red for me… the Green for Ginny, and the Black for you Harry." Said Hermione as she and Ginny passed out the cords.

Together the four stood and tied the thin black cords around their necks. There was a moment when their images seemed to blur and then…

Ron looked down to see that he was in some sort of old fashioned uniform. He wore highly polished knee high boots and pale trousers with a white shirt and a blue velvet coat over the top. There was an elegant silver sword hanging at his waist and his hair was longer and tied away from his face with a matching royal blue ribbon.

Shocked, Ron looked to Hermione who stood at his left, and his eyes widened. If he was the hero, she must be the villain, he realised. Hermione's hair was a mass of untamed curls that framed her face and invited his eyes to drift lower, to the white shirt that hung off her shoulders leaving them bare and then to where the material was tamed slightly by the black corset that was laced so tightly Ron wondered if she could breathe. The skirt she wore was red and it moved with her as she walked. It was short at the front, coming to mid-thigh, but was floor length at the back. The skirt exposed both the sword at her waist and the high-heeled leather boots that completed her outfit.

"You're a-"

"A pirate. And you, my dear Captain, are sent to bring me to justice." Hermione bowed to him slightly and laughed.

Harry was also a pirate. Like Ron's, his hair was longer although his was left to fall around his face, and he noticed he seemed to have acquired a pierced ear in the spell. He had on a pair of well-worn leather boots that turned down at the top, and he had black trousers that were somewhat tighter than anything he would have normally worn. Of course, that was before he saw Ginny's blushing reaction to them.

He also had on a billowing shirt that had such a low v cut into its neck that he might not have bothered wearing it. The shirt looked as though it had once been white but use had turned a colour somewhere between a very pale brown and cream. There was a length of dark green material tied as a belt around his waist and he rested his black-gloved hands on a sword that had materialised at his waist.

There was also a chain that had wrapped itself around his left wrist and was winding itself around his arm. Momentarily puzzled, Harry looked to the other end of the chain and found that Ginny wore shackles on her wrists that attached her to him.

Ginny wore a pale green dress that had intricate designs involving tiny emerald stones and pearls sewn into it's bodice and had most likely been very valuable when it was new. The dress was mostly in one piece although some of the pearls were missing and both sleeves had been torn off. The hem of the dress was a ruined mess and at looked as though something had left burn marks on most of the skirt. In fact there was also a smudge of ash on Ginny's face and she was missing one of the stones that should have been in her necklace. Ginny's hair was swept up into a very complicated knot on the back of her head, but tendrils of hair had been pulled loose and now hung to frame her face.

"The hero doesn't always win." Had been her only comment as she had moved to follow him, the magical chain between them growing and shrinking as they moved.

"Harry?" Ron had called to him as Harry had been leading his captive heroine towards the door.

"Yes?"

"Hermione and I, we… might be late."

"Actually, Harry, we might not be coming." Hermione added sheepishly.

Harry laughed, "that's fine, just meet us at 12? They should be arriving at 1."

………………………………………………………………………………

If you had asked Harry what the ball had been like that night, he wouldn't have been able to tell you. He remembered Ginny's friends lamenting the fact that Laura was missing the ball because her parents had called her home for the weekend. He remembered there was music, and he remembered that there was dancing. But more than anything, that night, he remembered that Ron and Hermione were late.

In fact, by half past twelve, Harry was feeling something scarily close to panic. Ginny had been up to the common room and found that they had left a note saying they had gone for a walk and would be back for midnight. The problem wasn't so much that they were late, but that Harry would have felt so much better if he was facing Deatheaters knowing that his friends were safe…well, as safe as they could be while they fought at his side.

By a quarter to one, Ginny, Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Harry were starting to worry slightly about the whereabouts of Ron and Hermione; Ron they would understand being so late, but Hermione was always punctual.

At one o'clock, the wards were tripped. Dumbledore's announcement that there were only two people there was met with a sense of dread.

Harry was the first to reach the edge of the wards, having thrown himself through the shadows to get there. He was followed, less than a minute later, by Ginny who had run as a panther.

Severus Snape finally allowed himself to fall to his knees, and his burden fell with him. He was close to collapsing, he knew, but he had managed to get back to Hogwarts and that was all that mattered. He saw Harry's look of stunned disbelief and would have laughed at the terrible absurdity of the situation if he hadn't fallen into unconsciousness at that moment. Because the burden that Snape had risked everything to return to Hogwarts, was bloody and was beaten, but it was undeniably Ron.


	24. Who are you?

I know, I know you all must hate me, I LIED blatantly to you all, it isn't even CLOSE to the Friday that I was trying to update by! The reason I was aiming for that Friday was I went on holiday at 2 am on the Saturday morning. I'm SO sorry to leave you with such an evil end to a chapter! I'm sorry it took me so long to get back to wings; I was distracted.

**Chrissy** – hehe well I have to say, I'm a fan of lemons too! And as for Hermione… I'm not THAT mean, I swear!

**Tsuki-kage – **hello!As far as updates go, I will always get to them, it just seems to take me a year, so thank you for waiting! I'm so very flattered by everything you've written about me and I'm glad I write something that you enjoy so much. Ron's story will be in this chapter, I hope you enjoy it.

**Dare-deviless** – oh gosh, um… I think all of that is in this chapter so just keep reading. Well, I thought it was about time that my baddies made themselves noticed. And yes there's more action, less romance in this chapter, as requested.

**asdfjkl; - **thank you, I'm still having trouble with the italics and line breaks, I think they're getting better but as far as I can tell its something to do with not liking my computer… oh well. Hope it doesn't put you off reading too much! Oh and I'm sorry about giving the plot at odd times, I can't seem to help it… if it does get too confusing, tell me, and I'll try to change it.

**Randl Scot** – hello again, yeah the pirates idea was a bit spur of the moment… they were going to be in pretty much their armour for the costumes… but I thought it would be more fun if I changed it!

**Bloodless Ace** – Always nice to hear from you, and I'm really happy you actually liked the end of the chapter! I liked it as I wrote it… although I had intended to update sooner than this!

**Obsidian-Dragon-Phoenix** – that's a really great name, by the way! hehe Thank you very much!

**Toghgal** – I don't blame you at all, we ALL were… in fact some of us stayed up all night to finish it hehe! Did you like DH?

**Twinklecandy** – what can I say? It was the best I could do! Hope you like the new chapter too… it's far less lemon-y I'm afraid… of course there IS a mention of someone incredibly lemon-worthy!

**I Love Ginerva** – don't worry, I'm not that mean! I wouldn't kill them! Hope you like the chapter, and thanks for the review! (I keep forgetting to say that!)

**pettybureaucrat** – thanks for the review and I'm sorry about the cliffhanger… and then the long wait!

…………………………………………………………………………………

It hadn't taken long for Snape to be pulled back to consciousness. In fact he'd barely been placed onto the bed in the hospital wing when he flinched away from it's yielding surface and woke, staring wild-eyed around the room until he could identify and explain everything there.

Severus looked up into the concerned eyes of Minerva who, content that he was alive and, if not well, then at least capable of recognising her, allowed the headmaster to usher her from the room. The Headmaster himself looked at Severus with eyes that were both grateful and slightly bewildered before 'leaving Severus to rest' and following Minerva out… meaning, Severus realised, that Weasley had not woken up yet.

As he turned to look over at the other beds in the room, Severus was slightly shocked to see Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy standing side by side between his bed and Weasley's.

"Sir I-" Draco started, glancing warily at Harry "I came as soon as I heard"

Harry, to his credit, nodded as he saw Severus was awake, and turned back to where Ginny sat watching Ron. Harry felt as though his insides had been hollowed out and something had sucked the air from his lungs. He couldn't seem to react to anything at a normal speed, it was as though the world was taking five minutes longer to get through to him, and he couldn't stand feeling his senses so dull, and lost.

For the next half hour, the silence in that room was so thick that a knife would never have come close to cutting it. Sooner or later, Ginny became aware of a furiously whispered conversation that was happening at almost lightning speed between Draco and the Potions Master.

_What are they talking about?_

_I'm … not sure. I haven't really been paying attention… they've been at it for a while though._

Harry smiled, a little uncertainly at her and she returned her gaze to her brother.

_Ginny? He'll be fine._

_I know, it takes more than a few Deatheaters to… _she trailed off because if she was honest, she didn't know what her brother had faced, and it could have been a lot more than a few Deatheaters.

"Potter!" Snape called in his not-to-be-disobeyed-voice.

Harry turned, a look of slight amusement on his face, to see the dark humour in his ex-teacher's eyes.

"Sir?"

"Mister Malfoy wishes to speak with you."

"N-No, Sir, I-" Draco started, but was silenced with a single look from those dark eyes.

_Harry? _Ginny shifted slightly, in her seat, alert for the smallest threatening movement that either Snape, or Malfoy could make.

"Stay here, Gin." He said as he walked behind Draco to the waiting room, where they could talk without being overheard. _I trust Snape, and if he wants me to talk to Draco, there must be a good reason._

_Well, if you're sure? Shout if you need rescuing._ God, it hurt him to hear her talk that way, her voice was so hollow and her eyes were filled with worry for her brother and for Hermione… they couldn't even begin to guess where she was, and Snape couldn't tell them anything until Ron had explained the start of the story, so they were just stuck… useless… trapped.

Harry shook his head, thinking like that wasn't going to help anybody and from the sound of it, Malfoy, of all people, might need them to help him. Harry closed the door behind him and saw Draco leaning against the wall opposite him.

"Did you … need something?" Harry ventured.

"Just like that?" Draco sneered… though it was noticeably lacking in his usual venom. "Five years of loathing each other, then one request for a conversation, and you're actually being civil?"

Harry let his eyes rest on Draco (as opposed to the wall behind him,) and he saw that he looked… exhausted. He looked like he'd lost something and had no hope of regaining whatever it was, Draco looked almost broken.

Harry shrugged, having no idea of what to expect from Malfoy made the conversation hard… and repressing the suspicion that he felt was taking what little energy he had to spare.

Harry let his body sink to the floor opposite Malfoy and felt himself sigh as he met the blonde boy's so-carefully-empty eyes.

"Potter are you… alright?"

"No, actually, I don't think I am. I can't even think straight… I need them back."

"Weasley and Granger, you mean?"

"I feel wrong without them… it's insane, but I actually feel weak because they aren't here… well, Ron is but…" Harry sighed and lent his head back against the wall. If he'd thought more about it, he'd have been shocked at the amount he'd just confessed to Draco… it was more than he'd managed to voice to Ginny, but then, she was feeling almost as lost as he was.

"You know, that's probably what The Dark Lord wanted."

"I know… I hate him for it. As if I needed more of a reason! But I hate him." Harry found, to his surprise, that this emotion, he could feel. The anger that filled him was like a live thing and he was shaking with the effort it took to hold it in.

Draco watched Harry more closely than he'd ever watched a person before. He watched Harry because he knew that rage, that anger and that fear that came beneath it all, better than he knew his own name.

"My Father…"

Harry's eyes snapped into focus and looked deeply into Draco's.

"My Father terrifies me more than anything on this earth."

"Why?"

"Do you always do that? Give questions like they orders that have to be followed?"

"I- yes… I think I do. It seems to work, most of the time." And then oddly, they smiled at each other. They found common ground in the sudden hopelessness forced upon them by the world and their will to carry on despite it all.

"Draco? Why does he scare you?"

"It's everything about him… If you ever saw some of the things he does… the things he enjoys doing…" Draco trailed off as memory engulfed him for a moment. "Every thing I've ever done; every movement or word or look, everything was to make him believe that I will turn out exactly like him… I can't even begin to imagine what he'd do to me if he knew it was an act."

"If it's that important, why tell me? What makes it worth the risk?"

"Because you know, just as well as I do, that you're the one that's going to end this war."

Harry sighed again, but the life was creeping back into his eyes, and he didn't disagree with Draco. He would end it. And if he had to, he'd do it without Ron and without Hermione. He relised that what Draco said about acting his role was precisely what Harry had always done. He'd acted for the Dursleys and then for the headmaster and then for the wizarding world. But now, finally, he was himself… or he was starting to be, because being chosen had meant that people trusted his judgement.

"Who are you, Draco Malfoy?" Harry's level gaze made it clear that he know the answer before he asked the question.

"I was going to be a spy… that's who I am. Slytherin Prince, hated by the other houses and first in line to serve the Dark Lord. I was going to be inducted after Hogwarts, but it seems like the war can't wait… and what good is a spy before he can get information?"

"He could be a lot of good. He could hold the school in the palm of his hand. In fact… I'd guess he already does. He could be full of information, just not the kind that he intended to know."

Draco was silent as he considered Harry's words. The thing was… Harry was right. He knew more or less everything that went on at Hogwarts, he had a network of those that were loyal to him, especially those whose loyalty would be so unexpected that it would be ignored. All of it had been to impress his father, to make it seem that he was everything the dark lord would need, but that he was slightly, forgivably but crucially LESS than his father had been. Less intelligent, less ruthless and less well informed. But if everything was turned to a different use… if he tried to help the school as a whole… to unite them… who knew what would happen? He couldn't stop the slow smile that graced his face.

"Who am I?" Harry asked the question before he could stop himself. Would Draco know? And why…he finished the thought before he could stop it: why hadn't Draco been chosen as well?

"I don't know… not really. There have been… not even rumours… whispers, really…" Draco found that he couldn't bring himself to finish. Watching Harry was like seeing a different route his life could have taken… it was an odd, alien feeling, that only lasted a moment, but Harry felt it too. By some twist of fate, the people they had turned out to be were so similar that they couldn't help but wonder what life would have been like if they'd started as the other.

"Good. I'm not sure how the school would react and… with Hermione gone for now…"

"Potter… have you, the four of you, been-?"

Harry smiled, and for the first time it was a real smile.

"Yes."

"God that's… insane. It's like a fairy tale! You and your damn hero complex, it's going to get worse, isn't it? Now you're going to try and save the whole bloody world." Draco met Harry's smile with one of his own. The first one, in fact, that anyone other than Snape had seen.

"Definitely, now that they've given me a sword… If I find a horse I can declare myself a knight. Besides, I don't see anyone else out there that could do it." that was the moment that Draco realised the difference between them; Harry wasn't content to give orders and to take them, he couldn't sit back and direct others, he had to be out there leading by example and yelling orders across the battlefield, not bringing down the enemy with words.

"Can I see it? The sword?" Draco asked as he stood.

Harry shrugged, and started to stand. Bu the time he was upright, he wore his chosen armour and he was starting to look like the hero everyone seemed to see in him.

"I guess even MY orders would be followed if I looked like that." Draco shook his head at the melodramatic outfit that Harry wore.

"Your orders get followed just fine, I'll bet. And besides, you could never pull this off." Harry winked and walked back out to the infirmary because what Draco said about orders had given him an idea.

Ginny looked up as Harry walked in and was shocked by the fact that he was not only wearing his armour in plain sight (not that there was anyone other than Draco who hadn't seen it before) but that he looked powerful, and full of life, and back to normal.

Harry moved until he stood beside her and he slid an arm around her waist. Then he leaned down so his face was close to Ron's ear.

"I know you can hear me Ron. I KNOW you can, because I'm telling you that you can, and you are not alpha. You can't disobey because you'd have to challenge me and you know I'd win. We need to get Hermione back. We need to save her, and if we're going to do that, we need you. So you listen to me very carefully my wolf… you are going to do as I say, and you'll do it fast. Now… Wake up!"

For almost a full second, everyone in that room except Harry held their breath. Harry had felt the command almost like it was alive as it jumped from his panther to Ron's wolf, and when Ron's eyes snapped open, Harry smiled down at the wolf he saw behind them.

"Harry!" Ron said as though he could hardly believe what he was seeing. "Where's Hermione? Is she-? Is she ok? Tell me she's not still with him!"

"Ron, calm down, we need your help. You have to tell us what happened, and then we can save her." Harry waited for his words to get through to his friend.

"I left her there?" Ron could barely believe that he'd done it.

"You had no choice Mister Weasley, I could not have gotten into her cell as well as yours." Snape spoke quietly but firmly from the bed next to Ron.

"Ron? Tell us what happened?" Ginny's voice was barely more that a whisper, but there was enough emotion in it that she could have been screaming.

"I- wh-" Ron shook his head as he desperately tried to force his mind to work the way he needed it to. "It was two weeks ago."

"What was?" Harry's voice left no room to ignore the question

"The ball. The ball was two weeks ago and … and we didn't go."

"You had you costumes, you were the captain, remember?" Ginny was desperate to help him remember.

"Yeah… yeah and we left you the note and then… no… we changed our minds, we decided to go to the room of requirement. We kissed and I lent back and the wall… it wasn't a wall anymore, it was a portkey."

"Where did it take you?" Ginny asked.

"The room was dark and the walls were stone. It could have been a castle for all I know. They were waiting for us; the Deatheaters. And we just… I'm so sorry Harry! we forgot it all. Like it had never happened, we just pulled out our wands and duelled them like idiots! It was only after they grabbed Hermione that I remembered but… that stupid word! One tiny word that would have saved us and I couldn't bloody remember it!"

It seemed like now Ron had started, the words just ran from him, there was barely an order to them as the story fell from his lips.

"I woke up… that's the next thing I remember. I was in this tiny room and there was this…. Portal, almost… to the room next door… they had Hermione in there, she was tied to a chair, just like I was, and she couldn't hear me. Not at all, even if I screamed… but it was probably best that way…"

"Pettigrew came in. That rat was in charge of me, he said. He asked me questions, about the castle's defences, about you, about… everything. But they don't know. They have no idea we were chosen." There was a smile on Ron's face now; it died too soon, as he continued.

"They didn't get anything from me, and I could hear Hermione next door, she didn't make a sound. Not once. Not even when he…"

"When-?" Ginny ventured.

"Nothing. She didn't break, that's what matters. The wouldn't let us sleep… I thought it was weird at first but… it made everything harder, I couldn't think and god it hurt just to keep my eyes open. They said it had been a week. They kept using this time-turner spell; it sort of… made time slower inside the rooms so a week in there was a few hours outside. Eventually they started using curses… and then the cruciatus."

"They used it on me first and I wouldn't talk… then used it on her. They'd ask me a question and if I didn't answer… She had no idea why they were hurting her, it made no sense; she couldn't hear them ask me. In the end Pettigrew said… he said, he'd let that monster actually…"

"Did they let him?" Snape's voice cut through Ron's silence, and Ron met his eyes.

"I…couldn't see. But… I don't think so. Not while I was there." Ron chewed his lip before he spoke, double and triple checking his memories, just to be sure.

"That's something, at least. What happened then, Mister Weasley?"

"Then… you came, Sir. Pettigrew said they'd run out of time… that they'd make me speak to them and he let you in. You gave me the potion but it didn't work."

"It was water, it did everything it was supposed to. You did your part very well, they believed every answer you gave, and they believe that you know nothing useful." Snape smiled as though that last defiance was a great comfort to him.

"After that they told Pettigrew to kill me, and Professor Snape stunned him… and then I woke up here."

"I managed to you out, but Miss Granger was…" Snape sighed deeply.

"She was with my Father, wasn't she?" Draco spoke for the first time.

"Yes, Draco."

Draco took a deep shuddering breath and turned to Harry, Ron and Ginny. His eyes flicked to Ron.

"Did he have a knife? It would have been silver, did he have it?" Draco's voice was fierce and harsh as his eyes begged for the answer.

"he-he had it."

"Then, she's alive… for now. He wants to break her… to make her one of his… pets." Draco shuddered almost imperceptibly, but Harry saw it and walked around the bed until he could put a hand on Draco's shoulder.

"I won't let him. I swear it." Draco nodded and Harry looked back to Ron. Madame Pomfrey had given Ron every potion she could and they were all working fast but… the only way Ron was coming was it Harry forced him to.

"Don't you dare Harry Potter!" Ron growled "Don't you even THINK of leaving me behind."

"Never" This time, Harry's smile wasn't human, it was predatory. His lips slid back to expose his fangs as Ginny, who had shadowed him without his realising it, called her armour. Harry's arm slid around her again, as he saw the look of awe in Draco's eyes.

"Wait until you see us all." Harry winked at him as he turned back to face Ron. "Ok. Get up! We need to see if that portkey still works."

Ron winced slightly as he stood, but he walked over to the others with his head held high, and his eyes determined.

"I need her back, Harry."


	25. Him

Hello again! Well, I haven't left it quite so long as I normally do between chapters… mostly because the last one really didn't seem finished without this chapter. I just want to put a warning here that this chapter had some fairly graphic violence and it's very dark. If you'd rather not read that sort of thing, scroll past it, all you really need to know is that Lucius Malfoy tortured Hermione.

**I Love Ginerva** – Hehe thanks! And anyway, you don't need to have a comment; it's just nice to know you're still reading!

**HarryXGinny fan** – No problem, Wings isn't for everyone, I hope you find something you like better!

**Funky Seaweed **– thanks so much! Hope you like the update! And I really hope your a-levels go well, Good Luck with them!

**Chrissy** – Wow, really? I'm flattered! Glad you liked the chapter! I know it was a bit of a tangent.

**Bloodless Ace** – hehehe that's perfect! And just cheesy enough to suit me, too!

**Toghgal** – thanks! I'm glad you like it!

**Girlbrighteyes** – hehe if you ask me, Harry sounds hot in most of the chapters, lol! … is it wrong that I'm a fangirl too?

**Waiting not so patiently** – hello again, and sorry about that, but this update is faster than normal, at least! Thank you, it took me a few chapters to get into the pace of wings, and now I'm just trying to stay with it!

**Asdfjkl;** - Yes, I know it seems sudden, but Draco isn't really a part of the chosen plotline, he's working more with Snape and it just needed to be explained in the last chapter… that, and him doing the introduction for his father.

**Dare-deviless – **ah, that's a good point! Well, there is more action in this chapter, I hope! Ps. Thanks for the review it made me smile!

Monkinkninja – haha that's a bit of a vintage review; chapter 2, wow! I hope you're still reading and enjoying wings! 

JUST IN CASE YOU MISSED THE WARNING, THIS CHAPTER HAS SOME DARK THEMES AND FAIRLY DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TORTURE. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ THAT SORT OF THING, SKIP THE CHAPTER THERE'S NO IMPORTANT PLOT IN THIS ONE.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Hermione dragged herself back to consciousness. She would have liked to believe that she had snapped back to her fully aware and ready-for-anything state of normal consciousness, but she was far too exhausted. In fact, as she struggled to keep her eyes open, it occurred to her that she couldn't remember the last time she'd slept.

The second time that she was aware of returning to wakefulness, Hermione did manage to drag herself towards the light, and she found herself in a small stone room with no windows and a foreboding black iron door.

That was when her scattered memories began to form themselves into an almost coherent sequence of events. She remembered dressing for the ball with Ron, she remembered the portkey and she remembered the days of listening to her own endless screams.

She had wondered at first, why she wasn't being questioned. In the end, the only conclusion she could come to was that she wasn't worthy of being questioned. They either had a better source of information or believed that she did not know anything that could be of use to them.

The problem was that they had let her sleep. From her best guess, the Deatheaters had had her as a captive for well over a week… perhaps over two weeks, but not much more than that. And they had kept her awake as much as possible. She had existed in agony, bound to a chair and forced into a kind of trance that only sleep deprivation can cause. But now they'd let her sleep and her chair was gone.

Hermione moved so that she was sitting in the centre of her cell, and a sense of urgency overcame her. Something important must have happened… something that changed her status with them. This variation in her routine; the absence of pain and the presence of sleep was obviously to ready her for something new.

Silently, she went over the facts about her situation; that they did not know she had been chosen, for some unknown reason she couldn't call her armour or weapons no matter how hard she thought 'henge!' and until now she had not been worth anything to them except as a … distraction… a game… a way of venting their anger.

Up until then, she had seen only low-level Deatheaters… or she assumed they must be low in the ranks, because nothing in her research of the past reign of Lord Voldemort had produced anyone of their description. In the last few days, she had begun to consider the possibility that she was being used as some sort of training for them… she imagined the lessons on 'proper treatment of those unworthy' or 'dealing with mudbloods' and the thought was filled enough with dark humour that it had kept her mind occupied while her body had screamed.

She knew that her mind was her only asset here; it was quite literally all that she had. She could not ever bear to think of Ron, of Harry or of Ginny in any way other than that they were alive. All her energy was put into the one idea that sustained and nourished her: she MUST stay alive and sane until she could escape, or be rescued by the chosen. Whichever came first was up to fate.

Suddenly she could hear footsteps outside her door.

She looked down as she felt a breeze sweep over her. Her clothes had been changed into a plain but vaguely medieval style dress. The material was stiff and almost course, the dress was all the same shade of grey, but she revelled in the feeling of being clean and of wearing clean clothes.

It was then that she made her best guess at who her visitor was going to be.

When the footsteps continued, she could hear that the distinct tapping was of boots on stone, rather than the leather of shoes… and if she needed further proof, the man that approached her cell seemed to be carrying something else that tapped the floor; a cane.

By the time Lucius Malfoy actually opened the door to her cell, Hermione had made her decisions about the situation. She prayed that she still was 'the brightest witch of her age' and that she would be able to keep up with the situation, and keep herself alive.

"Miss Granger, I presume?" His voice was cold and aristocratic. He glanced at her and any surprise he may have felt at seeing this lowly muggleborn standing calmly with her hands clasped lightly behind her back, seemingly awaiting his appearance, was hidden from her eyes.

"Mister Malfoy." She returned his greeting, although she did not meet his eyes. She kept her gaze lowered and her posture respectful as she bowed her head. She was thankful that she knew enough of this man to guess the reactions he might be pleased by. His family were respected above almost all others in wizarding society, and had once been royalty, or so it was rumoured.

"Good… you are not without manners." Lucius let his eyes sweep over the mudblood and found that aside from the visible bruises and cuts from where she had fought against the ropes tying her to the chair, she showed no sign of the two and a half weeks of torture that she had so far undergone. The thought pleased him.

"Have you been sent to kill me?" She couldn't help but ask. If he had, well… she'd rather know.

"Your fate has not been decided just yet."

This was good news. That meant she had a chance still. All she had to do now was find a way to make herself worthy or being kept alive. She couldn't tell him anything about Harry… or about being chosen. There was no point telling him about the castle, not really, not when he had Draco there.

Draco… now, Draco was the key, She realised. Draco she COULD talk about… he was going to become a Deatheater one day… his father would want to impress Lord Voldemort with stories of his son's victories. Now THAT she could help with. She could make herself useful to Lucius if she could praise his son to Voldemort.

It was not her best plan, she know, there were too many things that were uncertain about it…. but it would have to do.

"Please… is it because of Draco, that I'm here?" She looked scared as she asked her question.

"Draco?" Lucius arched one elegant eyebrow at her question, inviting her to add more detail.

"Because… oh, I knew it was bad when it happened! I haven't beaten him in a duel for years but then… if Goyle hadn't been there, my spell never would have rebounded and hit Draco! …. But it was too late by then! I knew he was powerful and I know he'd find a way to get revenge… but this? I never expected this!" she let her voice trail away as fear and shame overcame her.

He laughed. Lucius Malfoy laughed, and the cold sound echoed around the small chamber until she shivered with it.

"Is that what you believe? You think I am acting on the orders of my son?"

"I-I didn't think… I'm sor-" Hermione gasped and choked as Lucius' hand closed around her throat as he lifted her effortlessly and slammed her back into the stone wall that had been two meters behind her.

"No… you didn't. You would do well to consider your words before you speak them." Not once did emotion creep into his voice as he whispered to her, nor did the ice move from within his eyes.

Hermione found that despite her mind coping with the situation, her body had decided to betray her, as a single tear slid sown her cheek.

Lucius pulled back slightly so that he could watch the tear's progression before he wiped it away with one leather-gloved hand.

"Thank you" Hermione's voice did not shake this time.

He inclined his head towards her, apparently pleased by her reaction and her being grateful to him. Lucius had been considering her carefully. She was intelligent, that much was certain, and she was learning faster than most of the other girls had done, but she had fire within her, and the other fools had come nowhere close to breaking her… yes, she would do nicely.

Hermione watched with growing apprehension as Lucius crossed back to the door and held it open.

"Come." He said.

The girl that entered wore the same pale grey dress that Hermione found herself wearing, and for a few seconds, Hermione watched her in confusion before she recognised the girl.

"Laura?!" Hermione whispered, horror-struck. Recognising the girl who was supposed to be at home with her parents… and then, she realised how long that 'weekend' had been for Laura, who had served Lucius for the weeks she had been gone form Hogwarts.

Laura showed no recognition of having heard Hermione, other than to flick her eyes over to where Lucius was standing.

"Ah, so you do know my pet." He knew she would.

"Your pet?" Hermione couldn't take her eyes off Laura; the girl had still showed no sign that she recognised Hermione.

"Yes… though she is so meek, so quiet, she makes no more noise than a mouse." Lucius had walked over to Laura who had knelt obediently as he approached her. Lucius stroked Laura's hair in what was undeniably a caress. Worse still, Laura leaned into those cold leather gloves, and as her hair moved it exposed a bruise across Laura's cheekbone that looked far too much like it had come from her being struck by the elegant cane that Lucius carried.

"She has been a good little mouse… but I find myself wanting more of a challenge." Those cold eyes turned to the brunette that had frozen against the wall and watched as she began to realise the reality of his intentions for her.

While Hermione had been occupied with the scene before her, her hands had been magically bound to the stone of the wall that she stood against. By the time she realised that her movement was restricted, she could barely move and inch. Her arms were dragged into place above her head and her feet were forced apart so that she was off balance and forced to lean her weight on the bonds at her wrists.

Lucius, it seemed, had decided her fate. He left Laura to sink into a kneeling position next to the door of Hermione's cell, and began to walk to his captive.

As he approached her, Hermione began to struggle wildly against the bonds that held her to the wall, but she knew as well as he did, that escape was impossible.

"I want you to watch her, Miss Granger, and know that she is your future." His voice was barely above a whisper but she flinched away from the sound of it. When he saw her move, his lips curled into a smile.

He trailed one gloved finger across her jaw and let it dance over the reddening area on her neck that he knew would have bloomed into bruising colour by morning. He felt her start to panic, he felt her breathing speed up and saw her bite down on her lip, she worked against her body's impulse to move away from him, and his fingers continued their teasing journey.

By the time he was tracing the neckline of her dress, Hermione was close to fainting. The moment that his hand moved inside the dress, she couldn't help but whisper-

"No"

there was a moment of silence, and then…

"No?" He repeated. "You dare to give me orders?"

"P-Please!" As soon as she said, it she knew it was the worst thing she could have done; he wanted her to be strong and she was showing him weakness. In a movement so fast she didn't see it coming, he slammed the cane down across her cheek and she gasped at the pain; it hurt too much to cry out.

When she had control of herself again, she looked up into his eyes. Lucius was watching the thin line of blood at the corner of her mouth, and was satisfied with the mark he had placed on her fair skin.

She knew better, this time, than to speak. He had a knife in his hands now, he was toying with it, tossing it from one hand to the other and letting his fingers caress the silver blade.

She barely flinched as he sliced open her skirt and pushed the material aside so her could see her. She was trembling but there was nothing she could do. He slid the silver knife between her legs and smiled as he began to move the blade upwards.

As his movements of the knife within her became faster and harsher, even Laura began to flinch at the screams he ripped from Hermione's throat.


	26. Rescue

Well, since it's Christmas in a few days, I decided that as my present to you all, I really should do something about poor Hermione! So, as a Christmas gift, I give you the new chapter of wings! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!

**I Love Ginerva** – I know. You're entirely right, it was very VERY harsh… but I need for my bad guys to be evil. I don't see the point in having fun giving the chosen all these amazing powers if they don't have an enemy worthy of them… does that make sense? If not, I hope you forgive me and keep reading!

**Munchnzoey** – thank you very much!

**GirlWithAPearl6 – **firstly, hi! It's nice to see new readers! Ok, now I understand that wings does seem random (unless you have my copy of the plot outline) and it is very AU from the books but I'm afraid that's just how the story's written… if that's too much for you then I hope you manage to find something you like more.

If you're still with me, Harry never actually became a vampire. Harry has not been, and will not be, turned. The way his power manifests itself (it's done it a few times before, but now he has it under control, it's only when he calls his armour) it makes him seem like a vampire, but it's just his power. He doesn't need to drink blood and sunlight won't hurt him etc. he gets some vampire powers like the fangs or thrall depending on how much power he's using, but it works in the same way as Ginny becoming more like the fire fairy, or Hermione becoming more like the lioness.

Lastly, Harry and Ginny make eachother stronger just by being together. It's like the Chosen being stronger together, just a bit more… personal! Hope this helps you!

**lorilou783** – if you're hooked then my evil scheme must be working…. Mwahahaha. Seriously though, I'm glad you're enjoying wings!

**Girlbrighteyes** – I know it was, I'm sorry. But I hope this chapter's more… acceptable? Or just, more happy! (if that's the right term!)

**Dare-deviless** – it looks like there's a line to do that…! And here's your as-requested update! Thanks so much for the review

**Goodygurl **– hello! Well, firstly, let me just say thank you so much for a wonderful review, it really made my day. Now, I know that the last chapter was very intense (that might be the perfect word for it!) and I'm afraid that there will probably be one or two chapters like that in the future of wings, but seeing as I'm just over half way through, there should be some lighter things in there too! I hope you keep enjoying wings.

**Bloodless Ace** – thank you so much, and it's lovely to have someone interested in that chapter! I was starting to worry that I'd scare off all my loyal readers with it!

I just wanted to add another general thank-you here for everyone who wasn't put off my story by the events of the last chapter!

……………………………………………………………………………………….

The next time Hermione's tired mind managed to emerge into reality, she was overjoyed to find that she was alone in her cell.

She spent a few quite moments wrestling with the feeling that something was missing from her situation… that there was something, just out of reach, that her mind knew was absent.

Suddenly she had it; there was no pain.

"Oh! But…" She was so startled at the realisation that she spoke aloud "… but that doesn't make sense!"

There was a space of about ten seconds where her mind threatened to fly apart entirely. Hermione came so close to losing not only her control, but also her sanity, that she actually felt her mind begin to drift as the realisation came: He hadn't been real.

"But… no. NO!" The logical part of her screamed into that empty cell, he HAD been real and he HAD done everything she remembered… hadn't he? Her mind was frantically trying to rationalise what had happened. Had Malfoy been a dream? Had it been some kind of spell? Had he been real but he had healed her?

After a few more minutes of thought she realised that with everything he had done to her… every sadistic, twisted moment of his company she was forced to endure… she knew something of him… and he had learned about her. He would still be trying to break her, and waking after that night without pain where there should be agony… She was sure that would be enough to make all his other pets doubt their sanity… and maybe that was all he needed to break them?

Slowly, she forced her mind back over his visit and eventually it occurred to her that she has never actually SEEN herself bleed. Was he really so terribly skilled with that dagger that he could do… that, and not leave a mark on her?

She pushed the material of her dress up her arms to see the bruises that had bloomed there and she sighed. At least now she knew it had been real… she was hurt and so he was real… perhaps the wounds weren't where she had expected them to be, but that didn't matter any more. It was not enough to break her.

Well, she thought as she smiled to herself, if THAT was the best he could do… she would be fine until she was rescued.

As they left the hospital wing, Harry, Ron and Ginny were desperately trying to come up with a plan.

"We're lucky that they can't know we're coming… and they don't know we've been chosen." Harry began.

"They won't have anything that could stop us at the moment, they aren't expecting to be attacked." Ron added.

"The problem is that even if the portkey does work, we don't know that she'll still be in the same cell… they could have moved her?" Ginny mused.

"That's a good point… we could find her if we had the time… but if she's warded so strongly, it might take too long." Harry sighed.

"Actually, I can find her." Ron said, full of quiet confidence now that he was on his way back to Hermione.

"How?" Ginny asked.

"You remember the familiars that we learnt to summon?" Harry and Ginny nodded, unwilling to interrupt their friend "well, they aren't really alive. They are our magic… we give the magic form and a name subconsciously, so if you talk to your familiar, it's like learning the extent of your power."

They had a moment to marvel at this newly serious and informed Ron, before Harry realised where Ron was heading with this;

"So you're saying that because there's part of Hermione's water element in your familiar...?" Harry began, entranced by the idea.

"Truthsong can track the rest of the magic, and lead us to Hermione." Ron finished with a feral grin.

"Ron? If your magic is outside your body, as Truthsong, does that mean you can't use magic?" Ginny wondered aloud.

"It… yes. But I have the sword." Ron admitted, sheepishly.

"They won't get past Gin and I, Ron, I swear it." Harry smiled as they turned into the corridor that would lead them to the room of requirement.

"It's that stone." Ron pointed.

"Well, it looks like this is it." Harry said as he slid his sword free of it's sheath "I feel like I should say something poetic" Harry shifted his weight from foot to foot as his body started to itch for a fight, Ginny laughed a little nervously and Ron let his eyes drift to the stone.

_Harry?_

_Yes Gin?_

_Don't get killed._

_I promise._

Harry took a deep breath and slid his free arm around Ginny's waist, as Ron grasped Harry's left hand. Ron slammed his hand against the portkey.

For three whole seconds, nothing happened.

Suddenly the three chosen were pulled off their feet and slammed onto a stone floor with a still-hot white stone in its centre.

"Is this-?" Ginny whispered.

Ron nodded in reply and the magnificent Phoenix that was his magic, flew into being next to Ron. Truthsong and Ron began to talk faster than the other two could follow.

_Do you hear anyone else?_

_No, Gin… I think it's just us._

_That's… well I'd love to say good, but…_

_I know. I feel nervous too._

_Do you think that stone will take us back to Hogwarts?_

Harry looked at it more closely and then beckoning Ginny closer, they called on their familiars who delicately sniffed, licked, tasted and examined the stone before speaking to the Chosen.

"The white stone will take you back to the school if you stand on it and hold onto the others. When you get back, you must destroy the portkey or they will follow." The winged lion spoke first, sounding almost amused by the situation, as the unicorn touched her horn to the glowing stone.

"When you travel to the school it will trigger an alarm and they will know what you have done." Silversong continued, in her kind voice.

"Thank you" Ginny whispered as the familiars disappeared.

Suddenly Ron spoke from across the room "She's close… I can tell."

Harry nodded at Ron and they opened the only door in the room and ventured out into the labyrinth of passageways. The phoenix not only lit their way, but also led them steadily through the maze. Everything was going well, perfectly in fact, until they rounded the second-to-last corner before they reached Hermione.

There were seven Deatheaters standing there.

Ron killed the first. He moved before his body had caught up with his mind, and he'd stabbed the man before he realised that he intended to do it.

Harry killed the two that rushed forwards to attack Ron. His sword seemed alive on it's own, and the Deatheaters hadn't expected a physical attack.

Ron and Harry worked together then, to drive the remaining Deatheaters backwards. One of the Deatheaters cast a spell that opened a long cut on Ron's arm, but he barely noticed, and it was only after the fight that Harry realised his leg had been cut.

As Harry and Ron drove forwards, killing the remaining two Deatheaters, It occurred to Ron to look for his sister, and he found her blocking the Deatheater's escape, having circled behind them at the very start of the fight to keep them from raising the alarm.

Ron watched as his little sister slid her sword from one of the two bodies at her feet.

As Ginny looked up, her eyes locked with Harry's and she was filled with such a fierce exhilaration and pride, that she couldn't help but grin as Harry wiped away a streak of blood across her cheek.

The three of them knew that they would pay for this later, Ron and Ginny would spend most of the night throwing up as their bodies tried to purge themselves of killing, and it would be two days before Harry could eat again… but just for then, they were proud that they had survived their first encounter with the Deatheaters.

Truthsong called to them quietly from outside a metal door, and then flew backwards and disappeared. Ron tried every spell he could think of to get through the wards before Harry had an idea; if the door held the wards in place, destroy the door.

Together, the three of the, threw fire at the door. Harry's flames were weaker, it wasn't his area of strength, but he concentrated on the hinges, as he knew they were the weak point of the structure. Ron had to re-cast his spell every few seconds but the metal of the door was starting to turn white with his spell's heat. Ginny simply raged. Her thoughts became fire and she drove at the door with everything she was. None of the three noticed the burns that worked their way up their arms as the door finally fell away from the frame.

"H-Hermione?" Ron's voice sounded uncertain for the briefest moment, as he was half blind from the flare of the door melting.

"Oh, Ron!" Hermione breathed as she threw herself out of the small cell and into his arms. "It- it is you, isn't it? This isn't some new trick?"

"It's us, 'Mione." Ginny beamed at her friend, as Harry slid an arm around Hermione as well.

Between them there was a silent agreement not to ask questions. Hermione valiantly didn't question her friends on their blood-soaked state, and they didn't question her at all. There would be time for talk tomorrow. Together they make their way back to the room with the white stone, and less than an hour after leaving Hogwarts, they were on their way back to it, safe and whole again.


	27. Lioness

Hello all. I swear that I lost a month somewhere there… I could have sworn there was more of January left and suddenly February's half gone! Of course it could have something to do with the sheer amount of essays that university seems to want from me… and then there's the volume of fanfiction I've been reading lately! I swear it's an addiction! Thanks for staying with me and putting up with the huge gaps between my chapters!

**Emillie** – I'm happy you're enjoying Wings so much! I see what you mean about always getting caught, but if the heroes never had any trouble winning you might lose most of the plot, don't you think? Of course, you could always have a go at writing a story where they don't get captured!

**Maricam25** – thank you so much! I really am sorry about the long waits between chapters, but hopefully I'll get better at this soon!

**Iluvronweasleycosgingersrsxy** – hahaha I just spent about a minute failing at reading your name! Love it! I'm so flattered; I'm so happy you like Wings that much! Although I'm sure that there are a lot better fanfics out there than this one!

**Hawkeye1958** – I know and I really am sorry about the wait, and I'm glad that Hermione's safe too!

**Jbalman** – thank you!

**Amber13Drummer **– gosh! I can't believe I've converted you (even if just for this one fic) … although I know what you mean about enjoying the plotless fics, I like them too. I hope you keep enjoying Wings as much as I like writing it! oh, and thank you for such a nice review!

**Shellsboy24** – Hi again, and thank you so much for your review!

**Rowenarave565 – **Thank you for you confidence in Wings, I hope you keep enjoying it!

**Goodygurl** – thank you so much, I'm glad you're enjoying Wings so much. I like having them listen to their instincts because the point is; they always had the ability to fight like this and to win the war (they hope) they just never really believed it until they were chosen.

**Chrissy – **Hello Chrissy! Yes I swore to myself that I would rescue her by Christmas and I just about made it. Oh, and a very belated Merry Christmas to you too! Hehe hope you like the new chapter!

* * *

"Um… Harry?" Parvati ventured, "How long have you had a pet lion?"

Harry had been sitting at the Gryffindor table since before anyone else had arrived. He had been there for two hours, surrounded by his fellow Gryffindors, although not Ron or Ginny (who were in the forest) or Hermione, who was with her parents at home. Eventually the girls sitting with Neville on his left noticed that he was sneaking bacon to something under the table.

When Neville and Lavender had first peaked under the tablecloth, they had almost fallen off the bench in shock; there was a fully-grown lioness lying peacefully at Harry's feet with it's head resting on one of Harry's shoes as he slipped bacon under the table.

"Actually it's Crookshanks" He grinned at the two girls before him, after a brief moment's shock at being caught.

Lavender blinked for a moment, trying to make sense of what he'd said.

"Crookshanks? Was there some sort of an accident?"

"In transfiguration." He ducked his head briefly in embarrassment "I err, tried something new and… well, you can see how it went."

"Can't Professor McGonagall help?" Parvati suggested.

"We've been trying, but until Crookshanks is back to his old self, I need to keep him with me."

"That's a point, if Crookshanks is a 'he' then why-" Lavender began.

"Is that lion a lioness?" Parvati finished. Glancing at the exquisitely powerful lioness hidden beneath their breakfast.

"Because my botched spell was just that good." Harry grinned again as the girls laughed with him.

"Does Hermione know?" Lavender wondered aloud.

Harry's hand drifted to rest on the lioness's head to try to soothe the suddenly tense animal.

"No, she's still with her parents. Hopefully he will be back to his normal self when she gets back to school."

"It must have been so awful, thinking her parents had been attacked!" Parvati whispered with real worry creeping into her voice.

"At least they were found alive, and it's good of the Headmaster to let her stay with them for a while" Lavender comforted her friend, reciting the story that had been given to the school to explain Hermione's Deatheater-induced absence.

"Yes, it was." Lavender sighed as she composed herself again, she hadn't heard from her father for weeks but that didn't mean he was hurt, just that he was busy. "Well, if you need any help Harry, you can count on us!"

"Potter, did I hear you right? You can't even handle such a simple transfiguration?" Draco sneered as he approached the Gryffindor table, "Honestly, it's a wonder they let you in to this school."

"Yes well, we can't all buy our way in, can we, Malfoy?" Harry stood from his seat and turned to face Draco, who was rapidly turning red with anger as Crabbe and Goyle sniggered at Draco's comment and ignored Harry's.

"And this from the Chosen One who's going to save us all? Really now, are you the best that the good wizards can find?"

"At least I'm involved. Unlike some people who aren't even worth noticing."

Draco snarled and unleashed a hex that flew wide of Harry and exploded into a bowl of mashed potatoes that had been on the table. Harry's reflexes jumped into action and the stunner he sent at Draco also happened to miss, but froze Crabbe in his tracks.

As Harry and Draco moved closer to the doors, the duel became more and more fierce with food being thrown up into the air with every spell that missed its target. Eventually as Harry blocked a curse from Draco, it rebounded and hit Goyle. Goyle began to shrink until he stood only a few inched taller than Professor Flitwick, and in the ensuing chaos as the rest of the hall dodged food and laughed at the spells, Harry and Draco made it into the entrance hall.

"What did you need to talk to me about?" Harry asked as he absently cleaned gravy off his shirt.

"Oh, nothing much, I just wanted to see if you'd understand." Draco smirked again.

"Well, your code was cryptic, I'll give you that." Harry laughed quietly as Draco began to clean the mashed potatoes from his hair. Harry stopped laughing suddenly as he heard a soft scratching at the door to the hall.

He leapt to open the door, and to admit the shaking lioness. The lioness nudged up against Harry's hands as he whispered apologies to her.

"Potter, what-" Draco stopped cold. At the sound of his voice, the lioness had quivered and spun around, claws drawing screeches from the stone floor as she skidded to a perfectly calculated stop facing him. A low, ominous rumbling growl filled the room.

"Um- Harry? I don't think your cat likes me…" Draco said as he edged backwards from the now advancing beast before him.

As Harry opened his mouth to tell Draco to stop speaking, the Lioness pounced. Draco let out a surprised yelp as he hit the floor hard and was pinned in place by a snarling lioness that suddenly looked more than happy to rip him to shreds using her teeth. The razor sharp claws of the beast began to dig into the soft flesh of his shoulders as Draco bit back a yell of pain.

"Hermione!" Harry cried as he threw himself down onto the floor next to Draco. Harry absently called to the wood in all of the doors leading to the entrance hall and forced them to remember how to grow. Every door grew an inch taller, jamming them tightly shut.

Harry writhed on his back until he could meet the fear-filled eyes of his lioness. Harry let his eyes fill with his sense of alpha certainty that had inspired Hermione to stay with him. He waited for a full five seconds as Hermione had frozen atop Draco, and Draco was showing remarkable bravery in not trying to dislodge her or escape.

"Come on, Hermione, look at him… what do you see?" Harry's voice was insistent but quiet, he was certain of what he was saying, and he managed to lull her into listening.

"Hermione, his hair's wrong isn't it? And his face? He's close, but he isn't the one that hurt you." The sense of understanding inspired by his words was starting to show in the eyes of the lioness, and she silenced her growls.

"You see? He smells wrong too, doesn't he? He isn't the one you want to hunt." The lioness gave a very human-sounding sigh and she managed to slink backwards off the man she had pinned beneath her.

As soon as she was no longer touching Draco, Harry reached out for her and she came to lie next to him, head resting on her paws, as Harry drew himself into a sitting position.

"Harry?" Draco asked in a shaken voice.

"It's ok, she remembers now. You just… you gave her a fright."

"I scared the lioness? Oh, well! Of course I did." Draco laughed as he shook his head, letting go of the tension and fear within him.

"So, that's Granger?" Draco asked as he eyed the beautiful creature that flicked an ear at him in response.

"Hermione." Harry insisted.

"Hermione." Drano conceded.

"Yes. She's been this was since we got her back." Harry said, remembering how they'd walked into the hospital wing the morning after they'd rescued her from Draco's father and found it empty. After a frantic race through the castle, they'd discovered the sleeping lioness that was their friend curled in a corner of the room Ron and Hermione shared.

When they were together she could relax, and if they were inside their tower, she could be left with any of the chosen. If, however, they demanded her to leave the safety of her tower, the lioness felt the need to be close to her alpha's protection. They all understood, and so Harry had decided that today would be a good day to try to attend classes with her.

"She must feel safer like that." Draco said with a sad smile.

"I don't think she has a choice." Harry voiced the concern that had been nagging at him for the past four days.

"You mean this really was an accident?" Draco was incredulous. "She isn't an animagus then?"

"Oh, she is… not that you can know that. I just don't think she can change back at the moment." Harry turned to the lioness that was currently burrowing its nose into his cloak and nudged it away from the extra bacon he'd hidden in a pocket. Hermione pulled back and let her mouth open in a lioness-smile.

"I wish I was an animagus." Draco sighed.

"Don't you have the ability?" Harry was actually shocked that Draco wasn't already an animagus.

"Oh, I have it. It all comes down to power really, despite what most of the books say, if you have enough power you have the ability." Draco sounded wistful as he spoke.

"Do you know your form?"

"Yes." Draco's voice turned to ice in that one word.

"You don't like your form?" Harry knew that wasn't the case, but he couldn't see how else to ask.

"I know it and I adore it; I'm a fox. A pure-white arctic fox and god I'd give anything to try out that shape... but it isn't just mine. It's just one more thing I inherited from my father."

"I see." Understanding washed over Harry.

"Yes, so I won't let myself learn until he-"

"Until he can't do it anymore." They were both reluctant to say 'until he dies' but they both knew the truth of it.

"Actually Draco, since you're here, what do you know about the DA?" Harry said with a far-too-innocent look at Draco.

"Your fan club from last year? I know you were teaching them, training them, in defence. Why?" Draco had a strange feeling that he already knew the answer.

"I called a meeting for tonight. I think you should come." Harry stood and waved as he walked up the first set of stairs that would take him to Gryffindor tower and he returned the doors to their usual size. The lioness stood and stretched before she scampered over to Draco and licked his cheek in a slightly messy apology, before running to catch up with her alpha.


	28. Draco

Hello all! This is a bit on an impressive chapter for me, because I THINK this chapter takes my word-count over 60,000! As well as that, for the first time in ages, this chapter isn't hopelessly late!

**Chrissy** – Glad you're still enjoying Wings! And I hope the new chapter cheers you up a bit (everyone needs cheering up on a Monday!)

**David Fishwick** – I'm afraid the DA don't get much attention today, but I'm planning a demonstration for the next chapter. I'm glad you liked Hermione; I think it was one of my favourite chapters for a while.

**Lady Aster** – oh, you have to love Microsoft Word and it's spelling checks, don't you? I'll remember to change it! Thanks!

**Munchnzoey** – Thanks!

**Goodygurl** – I know I feel bad for Hermione too, but don't worry, she's much happier in this chapter. I'm happy that you can re-read Wings, I'm thinking about re-writing the first few chapters which should make it easier!

**Hawkeye1958** – Are you shocked? I have to admit, I am! By leapday, as requested!!

**Dare-deviless – **Well… since you asked so nicely…

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Draco was pacing through the labyrinth of corridors that existed underneath Hogwarts. He knew where he was going but he couldn't seem to be able to persuade his feet to take him there. It had already been a long day and this evening was going to make it feel twice as long.

Idly he let himself wander a level higher and brought himself one staircase closer to his destination. He winced slightly as he opened a door when it pulled on the rather spectacular battle scars he'd receiver earlier in the day.

At any other time, the thought of being attacked by a lion would not have been a source of pride, but when that lion had recognised him and then accepted him, he'd made the decision to let his injuries heal the slow way, and more importantly, to let them scar. He was betraying his father and there was a certain irony about being marked by a lion in place of being branded by a snake that Draco found suited him perfectly.

It looked like this was it. Oh, not as far as the school would know… and definitely not as far as the world would see, but for him, this was his choice. He knew he'd made the choice when he had been sitting on the floor with a suddenly powerful Harry Potter. He'd looked at Harry and seen that he had turned his life into something worth living and his words had inspired Draco to do the same. Draco had known that he would never be a Deatheater, he'd had plans and contingency plans to try to keep himself alive, but this was different. He had done more than avoid the side that wanted him in the war, he actually chosen to ally himself with the ones that should have been his enemies. And this meeting, this night, would be the start of it.

By now he was at ground level. He couldn't remember walking up the last set of stairs but obviously he had done. He sighed to himself as he headed away from the brightly lit passageways and instead took the longer way. He started to walk through the winding, treacherous, empty, dark hallways and staircases that the Slytherin's tended to favour.

He was walking down a passage-way that was little more than a glorified gap between two walls, one that was long ago lost to the mental maps of Hogwarts that most students developed, when he paused an extra moment before he stepped. A small tap echoed down the corridor and Draco kept walking.

About twenty steps later, he paused that extra half-a-second again, and once more the telltale footstep sounded from behind him. So the question became; who was it that would follow him?

It couldn't be Crabbe or Goyle; Draco had made sure that their desserts had been spiked with a sleeping potion. It was crude but effective. They would be asleep, probably in to common room, for at least another four hours… possibly more judging from the amount of the chocolate pudding they'd inhaled between them.

The only other male candidate was Blaise but if he had been stalking Draco, he wouldn't have let his footsteps be noticed so easily. Draco and Blaise had been friends for as long as either of them could remember, but no one else knew about it. That was they way things worked for them, everything was hidden and no public show of friendship came without strings attached, or the hope of a favour being repaid in your future. So in public they were rivals and were constantly testing each other, struggling to outshine the other in front of their parents, but behind closed doors they were friends and allies. In fact, if things went well tonight, Draco would love to have Blaise to rely on at the next meeting.

Which meant that a girl was following him. And she must be one that wasn't particularly good at it, he realised as he managed to differentiate her footsteps from his own. She hadn't even put a silencing charm onto her shoes.

"What do you want?" He drawled, not bothering to slow down or to turn.

"I know where you're going, Draco-dear." An infuriating singsong of a voice sounded from behind him.

"Do tell." He invited in his best, and uncannily accurate, imitation of his Father's cold demeaning tone.

"Won't you even pretend you're going somewhere respectable?" Pansy walked closer to him as her voice turned sickeningly sweet.

Draco spun neatly on the balls of his feet, letting his robes flare out around him, to face her. He used to cover of the billowing material to slip his wand into his sleeve.

"Why should I? You apparently know exactly where I'm going." He kept the coldness in his voice but he arched an eyebrow to invite her to continue.

"You're meeting with Potter." Her lips drew back in distaste as she was forced to name Gryffindor's Golden Boy.

"Of course I am." Draco allowed a smile to warm his eyes.

"Y-You are?" She faltered, not having expected him to agree with her so easily. She let her facade of confidence slip for one crucial moment.

"Really, I'd have thought you'd have noticed sooner! Potter and I have been testing out every half-decent broom closet from here to Gryffindor tower, we're madly in love and announcing our engagement next week." His smile twisted into a sneer as he walked back down the corridor towards the pug-faced blonde girl.

"Don't mock me Draco, you'll regret it later." Her face contorted with anger.

"Have you forgotten who you're talking to, little girl?" He let his voice drop lower, allowing the threat to leak into his words and hoping to get her to leave without a fight.

She'd been making subtle plays for his position at the top of Slytherin's hierarchy for a few months now. Ever since she had discovered her Father was part of the Dark Lord's Inner Circle, she seemed to think she had equal standing to Draco. It was annoying to say the least. She wasn't weak and she wasn't altogether predictable either. It was a dangerous combination and they were not likely to be found in this part on the school. And even then, if they were found, it would only be by other Slytherins who would side with whoever was winning their little fight.

"My Father-" She began.

"Your Father is nothing compared to mine. You should know, by now, how the Dark Lord favours his subjects. His most favoured three are Belatrix Lestrange, our Potion's Master, and my Father." Draco started to walk closer to her again, and this time, she backed up a few steps before she realised what she was doing and forced herself to stand her ground.

Inwardly Draco had been shocked beyond anything when he learned that the Dark Lord still saw Severus Snape as one of his most trusted followers; apparently he believed that it was Wormtail that had released Weasley and Snape had been the one to punish him for it. There had not been a full meeting of the Inner Circle since then, and so Snape had not seen the Dark Lord since his escape.

"Your father, on the other hand, is barely a member of the Circle." He looked down at her with his eyes showing nothing but distain from where he stood, ten metres away from her.

Pansy was shaking with rage now and her first curse flew wide of Draco and blasted several stones from the wall next to him.

Draco ducked instinctively and let his wand slide down into his hand as he threw up a shield between them.

"Is that all you can do?" he called "Were you even aiming at me?"

Pansy screeched insults back at him and sent a very unpleasant hex to strike his shield.

Draco frowned and cast a charm that would fill the corridor with mist so that he could give himself time to think. He needed to get out of this quickly and he needed to do it without hurting her… he wasn't sure how well that would fit with his new 'turning good' persona… of course, if she did get hurt, that might actually help his case.

By this point it was getting hard to see Pansy and harder still for her to see him. This was perfect. He began to lead her deeper into the passageways and away from the main school, his half-formed plan was to find some way to lock her into one of the dead-end passages and to suggest that Snape patrol past her later.

They had been walking and blindly firing spells at each other for about ten minutes before Pansy sent a cutting curse at him that rebounded against a wall and sliced into his arm. The cut was shallow but he couldn't help the gasp of surprise that escaped him.

He had no idea if any of his spells had gotten to her, but he needed to end the fight soon.

It was only about another minute after that when he heard a feint tapping and scratching on the stone behind him. Draco tensed and turned to see that there was no one there.

"Still trying to get away?" Pansy taunted.

"Still trying to actually beat me?" He returned. Draco was more and more distracted by the clicking sounds that were approaching him. He had been keeping his dense mist firmly in place around himself and Pansy but that meant he couldn't see more than a metre down the corridor behind him.

In fact, when the source of the noise finally emerged from the smoke, Draco almost suffered a heart attack. The lioness had quieted her steps as she'd gotten closer to him and he only saw her out of the corner of his eye as he twisted away from another of Pansy's spells.

"Hermione?" he whispered, wary of her reaction to him.

The lioness walked out of the shrouding mist to stand beside him. Draco lowered himself to kneel beside her so her eyes were level with him. Hermione opened her mouth and tilted her head to the side in what he really hoped was a smile.

"Come on Draco, your Daddy can't save you now!" Pansy's voice drifted from the mist.

"What makes you think I need saving?" He called back to his annoyingly persistent foe. Hermione stood gracefully, muscles tensing and stretching as she shifted her weight from side to side and curled her tail around to her side.

Draco looked on in puzzlement as the lioness lowered her self to the floor whipping her tail back and forth for balance as she prepared to pounce. Hermione opened her jaws miming a growl, adjusted her balance and pounced forwards a few inches. Then she turned to look at Draco hoping he'd understand.

Draco watched her through that strange dancing leap and had no idea what she was doing. He continued to fire spells into the mist to keep Pansy back while Hermione repeated her mock attack.

Suddenly understanding flooded into his eyes.

"You want to attack Pansy, for me?" He grinned at the thought.

Hermione nodded in reply and growled too low for the obnoxious Slytherin girl to hear.

Draco pocketed his wand and called. "Voco Leonis!"

For a moment, Hermione shot a clearly amused look at Draco and he shrugged apologetically at his made-up spell. Hermione let a low and distinctively aggressive growl precede her through the mist.

"D-Draco?" Pansy called as … something approached her through the smoke.

"You can still run, Parkinson." He suggested, as he followed a few paces behind the golden creature he had 'summoned'.

I seemed that it had finally occurred to Pansy to get rid of the mist. As the smoke started to disappear, Pansy paled and stumbled backwards from the fully-grown, snarling lioness that emerged and continued stalking towards her.

Pansy cursed fluently and tried to stun the lioness that was gaining speed as it approached her. The lioness dodged smoothly to the right and let the stunning spell dissipate against a wall before she finally allowed herself the thrill of breaking into a run.

At this point, watching Draco's calm and collected glide towards her and the full out sprint from his damned lioness, Pansy tried to run.

Even then, they probably would have let her go, but Pansy continued to throw hexes behind her and one of them came within a few inches of hitting Hermione's paw. This was the final straw for the lioness. She had been enjoying her hunt, brief as it was, and had been drinking in the scent of fear coming from her prey and the sheer exhilaration of knowing that she was the stronger of the two.

Hermione crouched, all four paws hitting the floor and then she launched herself into a leap that carried her ten feet down the corridor and let her paws slam into Pansy Parkinson's back and force her, sprawling, to the floor.

The lioness let out a roar of victory that echoed through the terrified Slytherin that she had trapped against the floor.

"Do you see now, Parkinson?" Draco drawled as he let his hand rest against the lioness, feeling the warmth that came from the agile huntress' back. "Do you finally understand?"

Draco knelt so that his face was level with the angry brown eyes of the lioness and Pansy had to let her eyes dart from one threat to the other.

"I am a Malfoy. There is a reason we are favoured: we are better. The day when you can beat me isn't going to come any time soon. But if you want to make yourself useful to me, I will listen." He watched the spark of ambition within her eyes and knew that she would re-think her plans to usurp his place in the hierarchy and would consider settling into a place at his side… he'd just have to hope that her allegiance could be swayed, or he could use her as an unwitting spy into the darker side of the Slytherin girls.

Draco slid his wand back into his hand and waved it in the general direction of the hallway they needed to go down to get to the Room of Requirement. Hermione growled one last time into Pansy's petrified face and then proceeded to ignore the girl as though she was of no more interest than a fly.

Draco took advantage of pansy's shock to cast a spell that make her fall asleep. She would wake up in an hour or two and find her way back to the common room.

Hermione trotted a few steps down the hallway and turned to wait for Draco.

"You really enjoyed that, didn't you?" He marvelled at the spring in her step and the fact that he'd just enjoyed spending time with Hermione Granger (even if she was a cat.)

Hermione led him through the school and up to the Room of Requirement. She waited patiently while Draco opened the door for her and they slipped inside together, unnoticed by the crowd of the DA.

"- I know that we haven't been around too much recently, but there is a reason for that. You all know that Hermione's parents were threatened and the Headmaster will be bringing her back as soon as he's sure it's safe to move her." Harry was trying vainly to appeal to the DA as they pelted him with questions. He and Ron were standing on the platform they used to demonstrate spells and they were all shooting tired looks at Ginny who was standing at the back of the room. She waved to Draco as he entered and even he could see how tired the three Chosen looked.

_Harry, you've been nice to them for almost an hour. Can't you just … encourage them to listen?_ Ginny sounded as frustrated as he felt.

_You mean scare them into listening?_ Ginny smiled as he pretended to consider it.

_Can't you just show them a little of what we've learned?_ She sighed. _This is taking longer than I'd thought and I… I miss you._

_I'm right here, Gin_

_You know what I mean. _

_I know. Believe me, I know._ Harry sighed again. He was getting more and more tense, and he wasn't the only one. Ron was on edge because of Hermione, and he and Ginny had been spending so much time trying to help the others that neither of them had had any time to train or to fight or even to kiss each other in days. It was making all of them short tempered and it was just because of stress.

_I'll make you a deal._

_Oh really? What kind of a deal, Miss Weasley?_

If you can get us away from here in less than an hour, I might remember where I put our outfits from the ball.

Harry knew that he was supposed to be mature now and he was going to be involved in a war fairly soon… so he knew that letting his feelings rule him might end up being dangerous… of course it might also be the only thing that kept him sane.

_You mean… The 'captive heroine' outfit?_ Even his mental voice had to pause at the image that came into his mind.

_Yes, the 'I'll be your captive heroine' outfit. Or we could go into the forest? Find some hidden away clearing? _Ginny's voice was wistful, aware that their plans were probably going to get interrupted. Harry made a point to make it up to her as soon as Hermione was safe and human again.

"-ry? Harry?" Neville was asking.

"Um… Sorry, Neville, what did you say?"

"Crookshanks is here." Neville pointed to the lioness that was making it's way through the more-than-slightly-nervous crowd.

"Ok. Listen to me." Harry called across the crowd and this time he let some of his Alpha-self leak into the words. "We haven't been around because we've been training. This training is important and if we could share it, we would."

Ron looked up and caught Harry's eyes, shocked. Harry shook his head slightly, and Ron understood; he said it to support the others, to make them feel included, not because he was serious.

_Would you really train them?_

_No… they couldn't keep up._

_Good, I know it's selfish, but I like it just being the four of us. _

_Me too. But I think it's more than that, anyone else would throw off our balance there's a reason we work together so well… and besides, if they could have coped with it, maybe they would have been Chosen?_

"The reason I haven't called a meeting until now is that I honestly haven't had time."

"Well, what changed?" Luna asked in her usual dreamlike voice.

"I realised that I'm not the only one that can run the DA."

There was silence now; everyone wanted to hear what Harry had to say. Harry let his eyes lock with Draco's for a moment and he knew Draco was one of the five people in that room that would be able to see the humour of the situation.

"I know you all have questions about what Ron, Hermione, Ginny and I are doing but I can't tell you anything except that we're training. The thing is, if we're training, I can't help you myself… but I know someone that can."

"Actually I'm planning to put three people in charge of the DA. My decision is final; if you don't want to stay I won't make you. But I want you to be sure because I'm putting the best people that we have in charge."

"Neville needs confidence in himself because his magic is more powerful than most people in this room. He knows how to win a fight and he knows how to keep one from starting in the first place. Luna might seem a bit strange, but she's unexpected and that will give her an edge that will keep us alive in a fight. Lastly, Draco-"

Harry's voice was drowned out by everyone starting to talk at once.

"Draco has been a spy for years!" Harry half-shouted. It got everyone's attention. Granted it wasn't entirely true, but if they could believe in Draco it made everything easier.

"I know it's hard to believe, but trust me. Now is the time for you to see who he really is. You need to look inside yourselves now and decide if you want to fight in this war. It isn't going to go away just because you want it to. You might have to work with people you don't like and you might have to work without people you count on. As for us, we aren't going to abandon the DA, we'll still be here. But you can do this without us." Harry looked from person to person willing them to have faith in his orders and his rules. The Gryffindors were smiling; they trusted Harry and they had seen enough of his 'new' personality that they were confident in him. He knew that the other houses would come around in time.

After the meeting, Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Ron and Draco stayed behind. Neville and Luna would have stayed too but they'd been dragged into a conversation with some of Luna's fellow Ravenclaws.

"That was a bold move, Harry" Draco commented.

"You don't say." Ron grinned.

"They needed to know now, and you can lead them" Harry fought off a yawn as he spoke.

"I thought I was sharing the leadership?"

"No, you're in charge, you just don't want everyone to know that. Neville and Luna agreed to be your second in command… and I suppose you'll recruit someone in from Slytherin?"

"Blaise might be good?" Ginny suggested.

"I was thinking of Blaise." Draco admitted, "I just have one question; why were you acting like the old Harry Potter? Why not show them the Chosen you?"

"We aren't at our best just now" Ron smiled down at Hermione as he stroked her ears. "But we'll be back to normal soon."


	29. Moonlight

Hello again! I'm on my Easter holidays now and I have a huge report that I really should be doing at the moment. Which of course makes this the perfect time to me to write Wings! (as usual!) Why is it that fanfic and procrastination go so well together?

Slight apology here as this chapter was supposed to go on a bit longer. I decided to separate it into two chapters so I'm sorry that you don't find out exactly what's happened to Hermione just yet!

**Girlbrighteyes** – I hope you like it!

**Chrissy** – hello! God I know that feeling! Well, I really hope that you did manage to find the time to read it eventually? And if not then my adding the new chapter is just giving you more work… which is probably not helping! You're doing ap classes? That must be so much work! That's the one good thing about being at University for me, there's less work than there was at school sigh Still, if you do get the chance to read it, I hope Wings cheers you up! 

**Toghgal** – Hi, here you go! Oh, and I hope you like it.

**maricam25 – **I'm glad you like the idea. It isn't one of the main plotlines that I had in mind, but when I started the scene between her and Draco it seemed like it was it was worth including. 

**Alice4Ever** – Gosh that's so kind of you! I hope you enjoy the new chapter too!

**Goodygurl **– Yay! I'm happy that you're happy… if you follow me. And I hope the new chapter makes you happy too.

**hawkeye1958** – Sorry about that but the one chapter before leap-day was all I could do! This one's up before Easter, do I get any points for that? hehehe

* * *

For Ginny, there had never been a week this long. Things with the DA were progressing well. Or well enough, at least. Almost everyone in the DA was still very wary around Draco, but that was only natural for them. As soon as the Chosen were back to being themselves they had a standing promise of a duel against Draco, Blaise, Neville, Luna and potentially Pansy. The hope was that if the original leaders of the DA were seen to be getting along so well with the Slytherins, it might inspire some hope in them as a whole.

Harry had returned from his last visit with the Founders with the news that the magic that was keeping the founders there was running out. This was normal, it was part of the way the process worked; as soon as they reached a certain point in their training, the Chosen would be trusted to continue on alone. It made sense; it wasn't the founders' job to fight Voldemort and even the founders would admit that there wasn't much they could do if it came to a fight. They were, after all, ghosts… or closer to being ghosts than anything else.

She knew that Harry, at least, could cope with their loss… but were they all ready? A week ago she would have been more optimistic, but since their first real confrontation with the Deatheaters, she wasn't so sure. They'd been lucky that day, they had caught their enemy by surprise and they'd been able to escape. Hermione was the only one who really knew what the Deatheaters would do to them if they were captured, and she was still trapped in her lioness form.

Ginny had started to worry if Hermione was scared to change back because she thought they were angry with her. 

_You know Hermione better than that, Gin._

_I know. I know she wouldn't really hide from us. It's just that I'm worried…_

_We all are._

_I just wish there was something we could do. Something to show her she's safe here._

_What kind of something?_

_Something like killing a huge snake that's been attacking students?_

_I think I did that already._

_Oh? That's a shame, it'd probably be damn effective! _

_Are you still in bed?_

_Yep, I'm reading up on fire-spells. I still can't get much of the elemental magic to work other than the fire-based parts._

_So you're trying to create more fire-based spells?_

_Yes… it worked for you with earth, you seem to have spells worked out for most things now._

_That's just control… you see, I don't have the spells but I can order my power to do them anyway. I cheat._

_Well you're very good at it._

Harry's laugh filled her mind as she let the book she was reading close. She'd ended up sprawled across the bed a few hours ago when Hermione had gone for a nap. When she sat up she saw that it was almost time for dinner to end and decided to go and find 'Crookshanks' before she went to the hall without her friend.

It was as she opened the door to the main room of their little tower that an idea struck her.

_Harry? What about revenge?_

_For Hermione?_

_Yes. If we can do something to hurt Malfoy-_

_She'll see that he CAN be hurt._

_Exactly!_

_If we can get to him, and help her to see him as human… that might be enough._

_Any thoughts on how?_

_Plenty. _His voice dropped into a growl; low, dangerous and eager.

_Yes… but we need something we can do quickly…_

…_Didn't Draco say something about a knife?_

_Oh, you are a genius! _

_I am?_

_I'll show you later… if this works!_

"Perfect" Harry shook his head; he still had no idea what she was planning, but Ginny's ideas tended to be worth seeing through to the end.

"What is?" Ron called from the other side of Dumbledore's office. 

"Oh no… wait… no, nothing." Harry leaned back with a sigh and met Ron's tired look from across the room.

They'd been waiting for the Headmaster to get back for two hours now, and in their boredom (which was a loose term, seeing as they were left alone in a room full of strange and wonderful objects) they'd started to look through some of the books the headmaster kept on the wall next to his desk.

In fact, they'd begun to suspect that the headmaster had re-arranged his room in the near past. That or he'd predicted the reason for their meeting and had decided to leave some of the books written either about or by previous groups of Hogwarts students that had been chosen by the founders.

The odd thing was that most of the groups were never out rightly referred to as having been chosen, they were more likely to be hailed as 'highly influential' or 'exceedingly powerful' or even 'The greatest wizards and witches of their time.' But for Harry and Ron it was immediately obvious that most of these witches and wizards had been chosen.

There were some excerpts in Dumbledore's handwriting that seemed to have been written by some of the people that had been chosen. Oddly enough, most of them had named their group just as Harry and the others had done. Ron's favourite had been 'The pack' who seemed to have been chosen towards the end of the medieval times, as descriptions of the woman called 'The Rook' seemed to bear an uncanny resemblance to Hermione. 

Harry and Ron were hoping that some of the previous chosen would have some spells they could use or perhaps offer some kind of new angle of attack they could use to get to Voldemort. The problem was that each group of chosen seemed to favour different powers to the last. Every group was divided amongst the four elements but after that the similarities seemed to end. 

One group had used their powers to become true shapeshifters. They could assume the form and instincts of any animal they chose, and seemed to be able to chance their appearances at will while in their human forms. Another had actually become High elves; transforming their powers and bodies that way. A third had focused their magic on the mind and had learnt to read thoughts of those around them and to communicate with each other from any distance by merely thinking the words to each other. (And this was without the use of the Iunctura Anima charm, as well!)

They'd arranged to meet the headmaster because they were hoping that between the three of them, they'd be able to create some kind of map of Voldemort's forces.

They knew this was ambitious, but there had been rumours of Deatheater 'camps' that were starting to sound more and more like the castle the Chosen had found their way into. They were hoping that Snape would be able to give them more information soon.

The ministry was in no fit state to help them; anyone who was loyal to the light no longer had any kind of assurance that anyone else in their department was. From the swaying opinions in the Daily Prophet, to the increasing attacks on muggles, it seemed as though the wizarding world itself was being swayed towards Voldemort's side in the war. The question was fast becoming- who wasn't at least sympathetic to the Deatheaters?

"What do we do, Harry?" Ron sighed as he walked over to one of the comfy-looking, although dreadfully mismatched, armchairs that Dumbledore had collected in his office.

"About which problem?" Harry sank into the Slytherin green chair with Gryffindor gold cushions, which sat next to Ron's blue and silver chair.

"Any. Pick one." Ron laughed.

"Well, Hermione is the one I'm most worried about."

"She's- She's getting there Harry. Sometimes I look at her and it's really her behind the lioness. She's laughing at something, or trying to work something out."

"She wasn't like that at first, was she?" Harry remembered the never-ending fear that had filled the Lioness's eyes as she'd spent her first few days back in Hogwarts castle.

"I think maybe we don't need to worry about her too much. I think she's dealing with whatever happened to her in her own way." Ron's voice turned thoughtful, it wasn't that he wanted to leave Hermione to do this alone, he just saw that she felt she needed to prove something to herself. Hermione had to show herself that she could overcome her fear.

"I just wish we knew what had happened to her, Ron."

"I asked Draco. He said that it was her story to tell, he didn't seem to think she would tell us anything." Ron had been surprised when Draco had answered him so calmly, and Draco had been shocked when Ron didn't burst into a rage upon hearing his answer. Things between Draco and Ron were strange. They had a kind of uneasy truce because they didn't actually expect anything from the other. Harry and Draco, on the other hand…

"Hey, that reminds me-" Ron interrupted his own train of thought.

"Hmm?" Harry suppressed a yawn.

"I heard some pretty interesting rumours about you and Draco." The glint in Ron's eyes as he spoke was bordering on demonic, and Harry suddenly felt the urge to flee the room.

"They're not true." Harry blushed deeply as Ron laughed.

"Well, I knew THAT!" Ron said, through hastily suppressed laughter.

"I don't know where they came from." But that didn't mean Harry wasn't planning to have fun with the story while it lasted.

"Damn, really? I thought maybe you'd annoyed Ginny or something."

Harry snorted as he remembered Ginny's rather dreamy-eyed response to the new rumours of Harry and Draco's illicit and secret relationship.

* * *

It had been about and hour since Ginny had emerged from her bedroom and had been waylaid on her way down to dinner. She'd dragged half a dozen books onto the coffee table in their common room and had almost found what she wanted. She needed a summoning spell. Specifically one that could get around wards and one that was rooted in fire magic. 

Ginny winced as she stretched; her spine had almost moaned as she moved. Food had become something of an issue, as had caffeine. She pulled herself to her feet and set out for the kitchens.

It was only as several Gryffindor students smiled at her as they hurried out of her path that she realised it was before the curfew. It was odd how much her life at Hogwarts had changed. She no longer knew which classes she was supposed to be attending… but then, the teachers had unanimously excused them from classes anyway. She no longer kept track of things like the curfew and it was very surreal to run into Professor Snape in a darkened stone passageway and then to greet him with a smile.

"On your way to the kitchens, Miss Weasley?" The Potions Master met her smile with a nod, but nether slowed on their paths. (It would not do for Severus Snape to be seen smiling. Especially not at a Gryffindor.) 

"Yes sir; I missed dinner." Ginny waved as she passed him.

It was only fifteen minutes later when she re-entered the Gryffindor common room, and moved through it into the private common room. She placed the tray of pasta, pumpkin juice and chocolate cake for dessert onto the coffee table, after clearing a space for it.

"So, what are you trying to summon?" Hermione asked as she knelt next to Ginny and started to take the plates off the tray.

"Oh, the knife that-" Ginny's mind suddenly caught up with her. "Hermione!"

"Hi, Ginny" She grinned as the astounded look on the red-haired girl's face. 

Ginny couldn't help herself, she threw her arms around her friend and Hermione hugged Ginny for all she was worth. Hermione had woken back in her human form a few minutes before Ginny came into the room. Privately she had luxuriated in being human again, and had tested out her animagus transformation to find that her lioness form was once again under her control. 

"I missed you 'Mione! We all did. We tried so hard to think of a way to help-" Both Ginny and Hermione were grinning from ear to ear.

"It's fine, and thank you. I just… I had to do it myself."

"Change back?" Ginny bit her lip in slight confusion, Harry had mentioned that he thought Hermione was stuck as a lioness, but it seemed so strange.

"I- after what he… he did to me, I just couldn't change back. Oh, it was so much easier when I was in that cell. When he was still there, I just had to be stubborn enough not to break."

"You didn't want to give him the satisfaction of breaking you." Ginny understood that strength; it was the kind of strength that she really hoped she possessed.

"Yes, but then after I came back here… my life was just waiting for me."

"Everything was the same, you mean? So once you couldn't see him anymore, once you didn't know where he was, you had to pretend it never happened." Hermione was so glad that Ginny seemed to understand her reaction. She wasn't sure she could have explained it.

"I couldn't do it. He almost got to me by making me think I'd imagined… something. So I had to be sure things were different; that things had changed before I came back. But then I got stuck."

"You did? How?" Hermione had been staring it Ginny for the whole conversation, desperate to see her reactions. Ginny was stronger now. Hermione knew that Ginny probably couldn't see it, but the four of them had faced their enemies for the first time, and they'd come out of it alive.

"It was like I'd been split into two halves. Inside me there was my human self and my lioness self, my human self wanted to change back but the lioness wouldn't let me. She knew I wasn't quite ready." 

"I'm glad you're back."

"Me too. I can't wait to see the others! They're with the headmaster, aren't they?" 

Ginny was silent for a few moments as they finished the rest of the pasta.

"Yeah, they think they'll have to spend the night there, Dumbledore still hasn't come back from the ministry."

"In that case…" Hermione had walked over to the window and stood looking out at the night. "Do you want to go swimming?"

As much as Hermione wanted to rush over there and show Harry and Ron, she'd rather surprise them… and since she needed to come home from her parent's house, breakfast tomorrow would be the perfect time! 

Ginny thought for a moment, since she'd discovered her fire magic, Ginny had started to feel reluctant to go near water. It wasn't that she was scared or that water hurt her or anything as drastic as that, it was more that the idea was unappealing. Once she was actually touching the water she was fine… and she knew that Hermione hadn't been near her element for weeks.

"I'd love to. Just let me find my swimsuit."

* * *

Rather than risk getting caught by anyone in their human forms, the girls decided to race down to the lake in their animal forms. Hermione knew, now more than ever, that the lioness was part of herself and it deserved some fun too.

As the panther and the lioness began to weave their way through the castle, Ginny started to look more and more like Hermione's shadow as the castle grew dark around them. Together they played at pouncing on shadows and stalking imaginary prey until they reached the entrance hall.

Ginny slid back into her human self as pulled the doors open. Hermione grabbed her friend's hand as she darted through them and out into the open night. The grounds were lit in silver and white. The full moon hung overhead and Hogwarts was looking at it's most magical.

The girls were overcome with a dizzying energy, together they gazed up at that incredible full moon and were overcome by the realisation that going swimming was the most fun thing they could be doing tonight.

The silver water was rippling with waves, and the moonlight danced upon them. Hermione was the first to reach the water and the lake itself reached out for her. Small droplets of glowing silver water rose from the surface and into the air as Hermione paused to wait for Ginny.

Ginny stayed back for a few moments as Hermione moved forwards into the lake and her laughter echoed back through the still night. As she finally moved into the water, the mental ache and itch Hermione had been feeling was finally soothed. Hermione wondered idly if she was addicted to her element. Was that even possible? But as she broke the surface of the water to breathe, what she saw was enough to wipe all thoughts away from her mind. The lake was glowing. Not just the reflection from the moon, but the water itself. Every tiny droplet of water, even the ones that beaded in her hair and on her skin, had started to glow with power. Even as she was mesmerised by the sight of it, Hermione was sure that she was the only one that could see it. 

Ginny stood inches from the edge of the water and felt a flash of fear almost as though something about the night wasn't normal.

Ginny turned to look back up at the castle; mentally considering asking Harry if he could sense anything, but as she turned the moon caught her eyes. In that one singular moment when her eyes shone with moonlight Ginny found herself waist-deep in water and the giddiness was back.

She slid deeper into the water, letting herself fall beneath the black surface and then up, breaking through into the air to see the silver moon sparkle on the water.

"'Mione, it's beautiful!" She giggled as she let herself float on her back to stare up at the cloudless sky.

"It's singing… can you hear it sing?" Hermione was floating like Ginny, but unlike Ginny, Hermione wasn't causing any ripples in the lake. Hermione was part of the lake in a way ho one else could ever be, the lake welcomed it's sister home.

As Hermione turned to look at Ginny, Ginny saw her eyes for the first time. They were holding the moon within them, filled with the moon's silver light and they looked more magical than anything Ginny had seen in Hermione before. Ginny had the sudden realisation that her own eyes must have looked similar when she first had that ring of gold appear around her pupils. 

Hermione was singing under her breath and Ginny found herself joining in. After a few more minutes of floating side by side, Hermione disappeared briefly beneath the lake's surface and reappeared in the reflection of the moon. Entirely by accident, she'd splashed a good amount of water over Ginny and so Ginny accidentally returned the favour by throwing water at Hermione's smiling face.

The water fight that ensued was interspersed with a conversation about how to tell the others, the school and the ones that knew Hermione had been Harry's new pet, that she was back. Eventually Ginny agreed with Hermione; that breakfast was the perfect time.

Once the clouds had returned to the empty sky, they lost the source of their light and so Ginny created several tiny lights that hung in a loose circle around her and lit enough of the lake that they could still see. 

"The spell you were looking for, the summoning one? What was it for?" Hermione's mind was less dizzy now and she was beginning to wonder if it were possible that something had happened to her to make her so happy… she'd have to ask Harry about it tomorrow.

"Draco said that his father had a silver knife. It was his favourite and I thought that we could break it somehow. It's not much, as far as revenge goes, but it's better than nothing."

"No, it's perfect!" Hermione struck out for the shore, wanting to help Ginny cast the spell as soon as possible. If they could gat the knife away from him and away from his cold eyes, maybe it would hurt him a little. He'd miss the knife, she was sure of that! And he deserved to be hurt so much worse than that.

The two girls reluctantly left the surprisingly warm water of the lake and headed back to their tower. It only took Hermione twenty minutes to persuade Ginny's summoning spell into a better form for casting. It was one of the moments where Ginny really saw the extent of when the founders had been teaching them. Normally you couldn't change the way a spell worked: even casting silently was unpredictable for most spells. Yet it was as though Hermione had become fluent in the language that spells existed in. Not just Latin, but the words of power that enabled a spell to take form and shape from verbal cues spoken by wizards and witches. It was amazing to watch.

The two witches spoke their spell and they were rewarded when a glistening silver dagger appeared on the carpet between them.

"That's it." Hermione's whisper cut through the silence. Ginny looked at her with worry in her eyes, but Hermione looked coldly and calmly at the knife.

Hermione reached out and ran her fingers along the blade. It was just metal; only silver shaped into a point. There was no hidden magic to it, no secret to betray the knife's purpose. 

Hermione cast a spell on the knife so that it was floating between herself and Ginny. When she nodded at her friend, the gold in Ginny's eyed flashed with power as Ginny began to heat up the metal. The more heat that Ginny forced into the dagger, the more Hermione could sense of it. Obviously it wasn't made of water, but once the silver had melted, Hermione could control it. She was sure that this was more to do with her need to control it than it being part of her element. Magic was half intention and Hermione was very clear about her intentions towards the knife.

Between the two of them they found that they didn't need to discuss what they were doing. Ginny called more and more heat and then she used the heat to control the majority of the silver once Hermione had separated what she needed. Ginny forced the remaining silver into a sphere and then pulled the heat from it. The ball became solid and strong again and they left it on the windowsill.

The part that Hermione had taken was shaped into a ring. Once Ginny had called the heat out from it, Hermione let the silver flow across her middle finger on her right hand. She formed a perfect ring of silver and left it unmarked and shining. Nothing would ever mark the ring and she was fairly sure that it couldn't be removed without her power. It didn't need any decoration, it was to remind herself of what she had endured and it was a private victory over Lucius Malfoy.

* * *

It was the next morning when Ginny awoke, that she finally gave in to the urge to talk to Harry again. Ginny refused to be the one that gave away Hermione's surprise and so she had been avoiding contacting Harry, just in case she said too much.

_Are you awake?_

_No._ Harry's voice didn't sound as though he'd gotten any sleep at all.

_Are you sure?_ She was worried for a moment that something bad had happened to keep them awake all night.

_It's okay Gin, I'm awake. Is everything all right?_

_Fine, I'm just missing you and Ron. _It must have been the work. Whatever it was that they were trying to do, it must have been very complicated to keep Harry, Ron and the headmaster working on it all night. But then, that was just what Hermione had needed, So Ginny was happy to stall for a few more minutes… and she really was starting to worry about Harry.

_Well, we should be at breakfast. Do you have time to meet us there, Gin?_

_Sure… How's Ron? How are you?_

_He's frustrated. We all are. We're close to something but… I think we need Hermione's help for this. I'm next to useless and Dumbledore's full of good ideas but only Ron had the power to try and get them to work._

_You aren't useless Harry. Just because this isn't your area doesn't mean you aren't helping just by being there._

_How did you spell go?_ He knew that she was right. Things still seemed off to Harry, as though he wasn't quite in control of himself. There had been a very strange feeling last night as some kind of power had moved past him. He knew that Ron and Dumbledore hadn't felt it, but the feeling of it winding it's way around him like a cat until he'd given it permission to pass, had distracted him. He'd been second-guessing his decision to let the power go all night. He didn't know what it had been or what it was intended for, but it had felt something like an element and he hadn't got the strength to face down an element at the moment; not when things between the Chosen were still strained.

_It… I found a way to cheat._

_Good._

_You sound tired Harry._

_I am. I miss you. _He knew that he and Ginny could reach out for each other and they could be back to full strength if they could have a moment to themselves. It just seemed so selfish to repair what they had while Ron and Hermione were still forced to be apart.

_We have tonight?_ Ginny's suggestion was unexpected. Perhaps she couldn't cope any more?

_Promise me?_ He was weak. He knew that. But he needed her.

_I swear. Now come and have some breakfast._ Ginny understood that Harry had needed to keep some distance between them, but now that Hermione was herself again, Ginny didn't plan on letting Harry escape. Judging from the conversation she'd had with Hermione last night, Ron's day had just been filled as well as his night.

Hermione and Ginny practically danced their way to the entrance hall. When they walked through the doors into the great hall there was a tremendous scraping as every glass and jug with water inside moved an inch closer to Hermione.

"Oh!" Was her muttered response as she tightened her grip on her power. When Hermione opened her eyes again the water had stopped moving and thankfully, no one had noticed anything too strange.

As usual the Great Hall was crowded with students. The DA had taken up residence at the far end of the Gryffindor table, and the DA members in the other houses seemed to be starting to follow the pattern. Although it was hard to tell with the Slytherins as that part of the table had always been Draco's territory.

"What was that?" Ginny whispered as they made their way to the Gryffindor table.

"I have no idea. You don't think… " Hermione bit her lip as she tried to find the right words. "Last night things were definitely strange."

"You mean the moon?"

"And the lake. But I suppose you couldn't see the lake?" Ginny shook her head.

"We were both-" It was Ginny's turn to scramble for words that might do it justice, "The best I can think of is 'moonstruck'? As though the moon was changing the way we saw the night."

"Was it the moon? It felt like power to me. Almost like we were drunk with it." Hermione shivered with the memory of it and once more the pull towards the lake returned as her skin began to itch for water.

It was at that moment that Lavender happened to look up and see Ginny and Hermione walking towards the table.

"Hermione!" 

The word came from several directions at once as more and more people spotted her. Even Draco winked from across the room. Hermione was almost crushed under the tidal wave of questions about her parents, how she'd been and if she'd seen Crookshanks yet.

"-Hermione." That voice caught her attention: it was the one she had been waiting for. Hermione turned and stood up from the bench as Ron sprinted the length of the hall to wrap his arms around her.

"I missed you, Ron." She whispered to him as he pulled back to look into her eyes. He gave her just enough time to see the smile of joy and relief on his face before he captured her lips in a kiss they'd needed for far too long.


	30. Mooncalled

Hi again! Here's the second half of the last chapter… and it looks as though I'll be finishing it off next time. It isn't a cliff-hanger, don't worry, it just needs another chapter to finish it off.

I should also add the fabulous show 'H2O: Just Add Water' to my Disclaimer here.

**David Fishwick** – I'm glad. I have a bit of trouble writing Ron/Hermione as it's not one of the ships that I'm most likely to read, but I hope I'm doing alright with my interpretation if it.

**The Six Samurai** – Oh I know what you mean; I love superpowered stories too (in case you can't tell! lol) but there needs to be some kind of balance there. But I have to warn you that this chapter does go a bit further… I hope it doesn't put you off?

**APS** – thank you so much, I hope you like the new chapter too.

**Irix** – Oh gosh, did I? I'm sorry, I always seem to be writing at about 1 am and I keep making mistakes like that! I am planning to re-do the earlier chapters to change the mistakes and typos soon, so thank you for the tip! I hope you liked the rest of the story too!

**Goodygurl** – Hello there! I have to say, I loved the moon part too! It might be my favourite moment so far… oh, except for a related one in this chapter! Hehehe

**Hawkeye1958** – Hi again! Thank you! And by April Fools day it is! (I'm actually quite proud that I kept to the deadline!)

**Maricam25** – I think, at least some of your answers are here. The others will be next time, I'm afraid. I hope you don't hate me too much for not explaining it all today.

**Girlbrighteyes** – Yes I suppose it was a bit of a slow chapter, wasn't it? This one's a little faster, but it'll start to pick up again after the next chapter, I hope you can stay with me until then!

**Taeniaea** – thank you very much!

**Chrissy** – I hope you're ok? …and hopefully still reading?

* * *

All too soon: hours, weeks, millennia too soon, Ron pulled his lips away from hers. There was a general 'aww' coming from the girls of Gryffindor with a lot of giggling and disgusted faces from the younger years.

They smiled at each other, but the smile was deeper than an expression. There was so much that they wanted to say in that moment. All of the pent up words, every worry and fear that they'd held back and had to hide away from each other suddenly… ceased to matter.

They might not have been able to talk to each other, but they both understood at least some of what the other had felt. Ron knew with a soul deep certainty that he would probably never fully understand what Hermione had been forced to endure under Lucius Malfoy's care. Yet he also knew, with just the same amount of surety, that he would never ask her to explain it to him. He know that if she needed to talk about what had occurred it was probably going to be Ginny that she told. At first the realisation had hurt him. In fact he had also realised that she might even chose to tell Harry before she could explain anything to him.

He would be lying if he tried to say it hadn't hurt. But, as was usually the case between them, he cared for her enough to keep his hurt and anger from blinding him. Ron had a level of trust in Hermione that would not have been possible before that year. Sometimes he found it hard to believe quite how much he had grown since his return to Hogwarts after the summer. She made him proud to be himself.

For the first time, Ron actually felt like himself. He'd spent so long feeling ignored or overshadowed. Even when he'd become Harry's best friend he'd still let his jealousy and anger rule him. But not any more. This year he had grown up; he had found his place and his pack. Ron needed stability and certainty more than he'd relised. As soon as they had managed to complete the animagus transformation, his life had suddenly started to click into place.

The Dark Forest pack had adopted him briefly. They had known him better than he'd known himself. They saw a beta wolf playing at being a rogue alpha. Rom might have wanted to be alpha a few years ago. He had played the part in the time between mastering his animagus form and Harry mastering his own. Now, finally he was where he was meant to be, and more than that, he had his mate; his love, at his side. There were no more questions.

Ron saw Harry's face move through shock to wonder and finally to joy at seeing Hermione back as herself. All of the Chosen felt that subtle shift inside their minds; that subtle sense of belonging and belief in their strength as a group.

Hermione and Ron both turned to look at Harry. Hermione was biting her bottom lip in nervousness and Ron let a hint of a smile show on his face as he looked to his alpha.

Harry smiled and nodded at them. Ron laughed and pulled Hermione past Harry and out into the entrance hall.

Harry shook his head as he walked over to take Hermione's vacated seat next to Ginny.

"Hey" She smiled up at him as she let her head rest on his shoulder.

"When did she turn back?" He couldn't keep his good mood out of his voice any more than Ginny could.

"It was yesterday. I'm sorry I didn't tell you; she wanted it to be a surprise."

"That's ok, I would have done the same thing." That explained the power he felt; it must have been Hermione turning back to her human form… perhaps the power had built up because she'd been a lioness for so long? Something about it didn't quite fit, but he couldn't bring himself to worry over it just yet.

They slid into a comfortable silence as they ate.

_Harry?_

_Yes?_

_Does it bother you when we do that?_

_When you do what, exactly?_

_Well, Ron and Hermione… before they left, they asked your permission. They looked at you and if you hadn't wanted them to go, they wouldn't have._

_I suppose… I didn't really notice it happening._

_It happens a lot; we all look to you first because it feels right to do it._

_It feels right to me as well, it doesn't bother me. It's like I'm just making sure things are how they're supposed to be. Not like I'm trying to be in control, not as far as that, more that… I make sure there isn't anything dangerous. It's instinct, I suppose._

_You are the alpha, I guess._

"Ginny, what's wrong? Why are you asking?" He turned to look at her, his eyes clear and focused entirely on her.

"Do you remember when you held back the elements for us?"

"To stop the armour from appearing." He nodded.

"They looked to me. They didn't realise they were doing it but… I've wondered since then if you noticed it. If it bothered you."

"How could it bother me? Ginny that's part of who we are, ever since we were chosen; it's how we've worked. It's who I am, and more than that, it's who I want to be."

"I just wanted to be sure." It had been nagging at here for a while. She'd started to wonder if Harry really wanted all this. Ginny was happier than she'd ever hoped possible (in her realistic hopes, anyway) but since he brief taste of Harry's Alpha life, there had been doubt.

"I wouldn't change a thing." Finally he saw where this had come from. Ginny's eyes told him everything, and she finally let him chase the fear away. He understood why she'd found his role strange but it was his and he was so proud and so thankful and so very happy to have it.

As Harry and Ginny had been talking, the rest of the Gryffindors and some of the students at the neighbouring tables had noticed that the two seemed to be having a very deep and involved conversation. It looked so serious that they could only think of one topic that the two could be discussing like that: Draco Malfoy. And if Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley were having a heartfelt and angst-ridden conversation about the Slytherin Prince over breakfast… well then, the rumours about what the Boy Who Lived and his Slytherin Prince were doing in secret must be true.

The few nervous glances turned to full strength stares as the two remained in conversation.

Harry was the first to notice their audience and to guess the reason behind it.

_Maybe I should do something? Prove that Draco and I aren't together._

_You could… but it isn't very satisfying, is it? If you deny everything they'll keep insisting and you'll have to keep denying it all and-_

_Was there some advice in there somewhere?_

Ginny blushed but continued her crusade to amuse the girls of Hogwarts.

_Instead of denying it, why not confirm it?_

_Let them have their fun and then deny it to the people that matter?_

_Exactly._

_How? I'm not sure Draco would even want to play at this._

_You should ask him. If he doesn't want to, he'll hex you across the room, and if he does you'll know._

_There's only one problem._

_There is?_

_You. I can't pretend to be with Draco if I'm still with you…_He wasn't quite sure why Ginny wanted this so much, but he had to admit that it sounded fun. Hilarious, actually! Sirius would have loved it and Remus would probably feint when the news got to him… Perhaps Harry did have a Marauder-streak after all?

_I…I suppose you could-_ Damn, she was losing him! This would be the best gossip Hogwarts would see in years! Hermione would die when she found out! There had to be a way… Harry would laugh so much if he had the memory of this to look back on!

_You'll just have to join in._

Ginny's eyes widened.

_J-Join in?_

_Pretend to, if I can be with you and with Draco, why shouldn't you get Draco and I to play with?_

Harry grinned at the shocked look on his girlfriend's face. He stood and stretched, after telling Ginny to wait until he beckoned her, and began to walk over to the Slytherin table. No, 'walk' was the wrong word for it. 'Prowled', 'stalked', 'flaunted' and 'danced' were closer. He walked across the room the way only Ginny had ever seen him move.

Admittedly the thought occurred to her that she was slightly jealous of the others being shown Harry's err…assets. But she was far too interested in watching him herself, to remember the moment of weakness.

Draco remained blissfully unaware of what was happening because unless his day specifically demanded it of him, he was not a morning person. At all. Ever. But when the Slytherin table fell in to polite conversation around him, he knew something was happening. Any of the other tables would have fallen into silence, but not the Slytherins, they knew better: silence would tell their oh-so-interesting guest that they were all paying attention to him. Small talk kept the illusion of conversation going and allowed the Slytherins to listen into everything.

"Hello Lover." A smooth, dark, bewitching voice purred into his ear. Draco let a delicious, enticing smile grace his face as he pulled Harry to sit on the bench next to him but facing away from the table and out into the hall.

"It's been too long." Draco fought hard to keep his true smile from his face; it didn't fit the situation. He had not expected this from Harry and he was ecstatic to see that Harry was even considering something so Slytherin as this kind of deception. It was the kind of game that was dangerous to play, but SO worth the risk. Using the rumours to their advantage was one thing; everything Harry's voice suggested meant that Harry was challenging him to play. But if Harry was game, then he'd be damned if he backed down first! Hell, he'd kiss the Chosen Gryffindor if it proved he could hold out like a true Slytherin.

"You always make me wait." Harry licked his lips with a passable imitation of Draco's trademark smirk. He knew Draco understood and he was going to play along.

"You like to be teased."

"I do." Draco let his eyes slide away from 'his' captive Gryffindor and he let them settle on Ginny.

"You think she could play too?" Harry whispered the words into Draco's ear and on cue Draco shuddered. Harry beckoned Ginny and as she crossed the hall, Harry pulled Draco to his feet and they met Ginny by the doors to the entrance hall.

The amount of tension in the hall was almost suffocating. As hard as the students tried to pretend they weren't watching, by the end of the day they would swear blind that Draco had kissed Ginny in front of the entire school, and Harry had let them!

* * *

Once the three had reached the relative safety of the entrance hall, Draco beckoned them over to an empty classroom that was a few meters down a corridor. Ginny slid her hand into Harry's as Draco closed the door and as Ginny called heat into the door, Harry called to the wood of the frame and they wove the two powers through the wood. Draco watched in hidden amazement as the door sealed itself shut.

When Ginny glanced at Draco, she couldn't keep from asking:

"Was that too far?"

"Not unless you think so?" Draco looked at Harry in turn, who shrugged. "They'll say we kissed and the rumour will last a bit longer… but that should be all."

"Do you know where the rumour came from?" Harry was interested, but not desperate, to know.

"I thought it was something you started?" Draco lied. It was easier and Hermione could always set the record straight if she wanted to. And anyway, it wasn't his fault that Pansy decided to pass on his sarcasm as fact. "By the way, is there a reason we're playing along with the story?"

"Nothing in particular." Harry's eyes slid to Ginny.

"I just thought it could be fun." Her grin was entirely too Slytherin for Draco's comfort.

"Have you seen Hermione yet?" The red-haired Gryffindor asked.

"She looks good." Draco nodded in reply. "Good enough to fight, perhaps?"

"I suppose she is." Harry said with exaggerated slowness. He was looking forward to the 'match' between the Chosen and the DA as much as Draco was. Of course, they probably wouldn't be able to use anything that would prove they'd been chosen… they'd have to stick to common spells, but it would be a lot more fun that working with the training ghosts.

* * *

It was mid-afternoon by the time Ron pressed a last lingering kiss to Hermione's lips. He was supposed to have been back in Dumbledore's office after lunch but he knew Harry wouldn't mind him being a bit late. In fact if there wasn't so much left to do in creating the spell, he'd have stayed with Hermione all day.

"Go on," Deep brown and silver eyes glittered up at him as Hermione watched him hesitate at the door. "I'll be here when you come back."

Ron was still giddy with happiness that Hermione was herself again. "Promise?"

Her laughter filled the room as she ran over to give him one last peck on the cheek before he made his way out of the tower and back to Harry and the headmaster.

Hermione wasn't entirely sure where Ginny would be. If Harry had gone back to the headmaster's office after lunch then Ginny would have been on her own for a few hours. As she stretched out on the bed that she and Ron shared and idly watched the 'forest' around her and watched for the occasional glimpse of a familiar-looking wolf with red in his tail as he chose to flit across the walls.

Eventually Hermione decided that her best bet was to borrow the Marauders Map from Harry and to see if Ginny was on there. As she stood from the bed, Hermione felt a suddenly familiar itch start to spread across her skin. She was craving water... Hermione wasn't really sure what to do about the sudden cravings. She supposed that they could well have been part of her turning back to human after so long. It could have been her body's natural reaction… or maybe it was just a craving? Maybe it would pass?

She decided to mention it to the others if the cravings persisted and in the mean time she would find some water. Her first thought was a raw longing for the Great Lake, but logic quickly ruined that idea. It was the middle of the day and classes were in session. She knew that she could cast some form of glamour over herself or over the lake to keep herself from being seen, but she would have to concentrate to keep the spell in place. Alternatively she could just forget the glamour and let the students see her. After all, she was only swimming. But that felt like a betrayal, almost as if others swam in her lake, it would become less special. She shook her head at such a silly possessive thought, and come to a decision: the shower would be enough for now.

Hermione walked into the bathroom that the four shared. To be truthful 'bathroom' always seemed like a bit of an understatement to her, but it would do. The room was tiled in marble and the stone of the floor was permanently kept under warming charms so that the marble was not it's usual few degrees below room temperature.

Hermione pulled her hair up into a messy bun at the back of her neck. To be honest her hair could have used a wash but there was no point doing it now; not when she was planning to drag the others out to the lake for a swim once it went dark.

The showers were located over in a corner of the room and each had it's own little misted-glass cubicle around it to keep in the water and the heat. As she turned the water on, in the right hand side cubicle, Hermione gave it a few moments to heat up as she left her clothes in an almost neat pile on the chair in the bathroom. (She had not yet figured out exactly why the sofa was in there, but she wasn't complaining.)

Hermione sighed as her skin practically sang in bliss as the water cascaded down from the shower and onto her back. As he eyes slid closed, She turned under the spray of water so that she was facing out into the bathroom and she felt the misted water, which was lighter and more free than it had been in it's liquid state, filling the small space around her and then felt it discover the larger room beyond.

All at once, from nowhere, Hermione was overcome by vertigo. It was as though she was about to lose her balance and as she quickly made the decision to sit down in the shower, she threw open the glass door so she could stretch her legs out in front of herself. All the water that had been behaving normally (if a little excitedly) up until then, physically jumped to her body. For a split second Hermione was under water and then the water was gone as suddenly as it had latched on to her. Even the shower had turned itself off, she realised as she listened to the silence around her.

Once she was sure that her balance was back and she was in no danger of another attack of vertigo, the first thing she noticed was that her legs felt heavy.

She opened her eyes.

For a full three breaths of time, she was sure that she was hallucinating.

"Well that's… that's…well." Hermione's thoughts were torn between fierce exhilaration, an overwhelming elation and a hint of fear as she reached for her power. All of the water in the room instantly obeyed her request and the mist that had been blocking her view of herself in the mirrored wall opposite disappeared, leaving flawless glass in its wake.

Her hair was clean, at least. Actually her hair looked wonderful: it fell in effortless curls and waves down past her shoulders and it seemed to have grown an inch or two so that it almost reached her waist. It was held away from her face by a row of tiny seed pearls that had been threaded through her curls to tame them.

She was wearing what looked like a bikini top. It was halter necked, at least, and it covered her chest and had a strap that stretched behind her back and another to form the halter neck that kept the whole thing in place… but it was make of scales. The top, or bra, perhaps? was formed from scales that were about the size of her thumbnail. The scales were a deep ocean-blue. Without the light to draw out the true exquisite shades of colour hidden in the scales, they looked like they were the deepest blue that could be found before the colour began to blur into black. But, Hermione noticed as she gasped for breath, they would briefly flash into bright moonlit silver when the light hit them at the right angle. In fact, the hidden flash of silver in her scales perfectly matched her eyes… and also her nails, which had somehow acquired the same shade, she noticed.

The rest of her ribs and her stomach were left bare and then at her hips the scales began again. They were the same sumptuous opalescent texture and an identical shade of midnight-sapphire blue. At that point, Hermione was trying very hard to keep calm because the scales that began at her hips flowed smoothly down onto the floor in the form of what was unmistakably a tail. Her tail was beautiful; she had to admit that even when it scared her. It was that same perfect ocean-at-night blue with so many hidden shades that were brought out by the light.

Steadying herself against the wall of the shower that was supporting her in her sitting position, Hermione moved her 'feet'. Her tail reacted in just the same way her feet would have. It seemed that her ankles were now in roughly the same place, only instead of being attached to her feet; they were now at the juncture of her tail and the glorious fin that it ended in. Her fin was half the length of her tail and as it joined her tail, it matched her tail's colour. Then as her eyes moved further, her fin moved through several shades of ultramarine, sapphire, cobalt, navy, and then lightening to an almost cornflower blue before ending in a resplendent shimmering silver.

Despite the fear that flowed through her, Hermione had never been as proud of anything as her tail. She had no idea where the irrational pride had come from, but she was in awe of her latest transformation. She thought the entire thing was dazzling; she wanted so much to try swimming and she felt that this form suited her just as much as her lioness form did: it was natural.

For a few minutes she continued to study her image in the mirror, unable to believe it was quite real. She was brought back to reality when something fairly obvious occurred to her: she couldn't walk. Although she could move her tail just as well as she could have manoeuvred her legs, it didn't change the fact that she was stuck in place, sitting in a shower.

Hermione laughed before she could stop herself.

"Ok, Mione," She started to think aloud "Talking to yourself might be the first sign of madness but I think you're past that. You have a tail!"

As she spoke, she traced the edge of her top and found that the scales were attached to her skin, so it seemed that the two straps holding the garment in place were just there to look nice.

"Well, it must have been the water that did this." She'd felt the water crash over and through her power when the transformation had hit her. "So maybe without the water, the tail will disappear?"

It was as good of a theory as anything else she could think of. Resolutely she began to call the water away from the surface of her skin. She went slowly, being sure to get even the smallest specks that she could find. But eventually, as evidenced by the globe of water that now hung in the ain in front of her, she was dry.

"No…" she corrected herself "I'm as dry as I can make myself… but I can't be completely dry or my skin would be dehydrated… there must be more water that I can't see…" She started to bite at her lip as she thought.

No matter how she looked at it, she needed help.

It seemed that fate was in a good mood today because only a few moments after Hermione started to fear that she was stuck with her tail forever, Ginny came back to their tower.

"Ginny? Ginny? Can you hear me?" Hermione's voice sounded almost desperate and it brought Ginny at a run.

Ginny knocked on the door of the bathroom.

"Hermione? Is everything ok? Are you hurt?"

"No I… I'm…" She couldn't quite say fine. "I'm not hurt. I need some help."

"Can I come in?"

"Yes, I'm decent, I just look a bit… different."

Hermione had no idea what Ginny was expecting to find behind the bathroom door, but it obviously wasn't what she saw. The moment that Ginny saw the new blue-and-silver Hermione hung in the air for an eternity; Ginny stood wide eyed and open mouthed in the doorway. Finally Ginny shook herself out of her shock and grinned.

"Hermione, you're a …a … mermaid!"

"Can you help me?" Ginny's reaction calmed Hermione. If Ginny could be surprised and happy, then Hermione could laugh and be happy too. It couldn't be scary if Ginny wasn't scared. "I think that if I'm dry then it'll go away" She gestured to her tail.

"It's beautiful!" Ginny breathed. "How did it happen?"

"It was the water; I got into the shower and a few seconds later it just appeared."

"And you can't get rid of it?" Ginny crossed the room to kneed next to her friend.

"I can't pull any more water away from myself, but I'm hoping that there's more and you can dry me faster than just waiting to dry naturally." Ginny nodded in understanding and held out her hands over Hermione. Warmth spread through Hermione and she was almost relaxed before it occurred to her to summon a towel. If she did change back, she'd need it.

As soon as the warmth had spread through Hermione, she felt that wave of water recede through her power and she was human again.

"Wow. So this is what happened last night?" Was all Ginny could think of to say.

After another half an hour of experimenting, during which both Ginny and Hermione got soaked, they had a better idea of how it worked. As soon as Hermione's skin came into contact with water, she had ten seconds until her tail appeared. Then as soon as she was dry (which would happen about five minutes after she called all the water away from her skin, or much faster if Ginny was there to help) the tail turned back into legs. Every time she transformed her skin and hair became clean and her hair was always left down with the pearls threaded through it. When she became human again, Hermione was wearing whatever she had been wearing when the water had touched her. Lastly they discovered that if Hermione knew the water was coming, she could stop the transformation by turning her skin almost waterproof. It took concentration so Hermione couldn't do it all the time, but it was better than nothing and would work in an emergency.

In fact, the only thing that the two resisted from trying, was finding out just how well Hermione could swim. They agreed that she'd need more room than the bath could give her and so they were going to go down to the lake after dinner.

Once Hermione was both human and dressed, they made a brief dash to the kitchens for a snack and then settled onto the lilac sofas in their private common room.

"That's insane. You're a mermaid." Ginny giggled as she worked her way through one of the muffins that Dobby had enthusiastically recommended to them

"You're a fairy." Hermione shrugged smiling.

"And Harry does a very good vampire impression." Ginny commented.

"So I hear." Ginny blushed as Hermione laughed.

"What about Ron?" Ginny wondered.

"Well," Hermione was happy to have someone to share her suspicions with. "I can't say for certain, he still seems more wolf than anything."

"But…?" Ginny coaxed.

"I haven't seen him without his shirt on in weeks."

"You think he's hiding something?"

"It wouldn't shock me. But like I said, the wolf seems to suit him so much."

"But the lioness suits you. You didn't go looking for your mermaid form; it found you. Maybe Ron hasn't found his transformation yet?"

"I wished for it. I wanted so much to be stronger when I was with Lucius, maybe this is how I managed it?"

"Maybe. But you were strong in that cell without any kind of power except your stubbornness." Hermione smiled at the slightly backwards compliment.

"Could we talk to the founders, do you think?" Hermione knew she would feel better as soon as the founders knew about everything. As long as the founders knew and they could explain it to her, then it was normal. Or at least, it was logical, for her to grow a tail.

God, how was she going to tell Ron?!


	31. Part Of Your World

"There are several other elements

Hello all!

I feel I should probably warn you that I'm about to start my exams next week and they're going to last about a month so I'll probably be procrastinating a lot and as soon as I can work out how the fight with the DA is going to work, I'll try to write the next chapter. At the same time though, there is a chance that I won't be able to write it for a while, I'll just have to see how it goes once I get into the exams.

I also had a huge debate with a friend about what happens to Ginny in this chapter, so I'm sorry if you don't all agree with it. I could be persuaded to change it if enough people think that it doesn't work?

**Hawkeye1958** – Well it was when Draco was fighting with Pansy and he made a sarcastic comment about what he and Harry were doing in broom cupboards. Pansy decided to spread his comment as a rumour and it sort of… caught the imagination of the fangirls of Hogwarts.

Ps. April 15th? Why not!

**Sin ofhell** – Thanks for the email, and I'm glad that you enjoy wings.

**Kats24** – Gosh you read the whole thing in one night? That's really impressive! I hope you like the new chapter then!

**I Love Ginerva** – Ah well Harry already had his vampire form and I have to admit that Ron's is somewhat uninspired but I though it was the best fit for him. (You'll see it later in the chapter.) Oh and also, have a cookie for guessing! It made my day!

**Girlbrighteyes – **Awww that's so lovely of you! And I've really enjoyed writing Hermione-the-mermaid so there's more of her this time too!

**Alice4Ever –** I'm so glad that you liked it, I hope you like the next chapter just as much!

**Phx. Tears – **you don't have to worry too much about the Draco/Harry/Ginny plotline, it's only a joke, oh and the Ginny/Draco kiss? That DIDN'T happen. It's explained a little here, but all they did was stand there and then walk out of the room together with Harry. It's just the rumour mill that said they'd kissed. Still I'm sorry if it squicked you.

**maricam25 – **I'm glad to see that I didn't hopelessly upset everyone with that, I thought it was funny but I'm now trying to work out if I should have put a slash warning somewhere?

Ummm H2O? Ok… I admit it I'm a hopeless addict! I can't stop watching that show! They keep showing it when I get home from University and apparently I can't resist mermaids on tv! Hehehe.

I know what you mean about Ron, he seems to be the one that gets bashed most in fanfic, so I wanted to make sure that I didn't forget my Ron.

**Goodygurl –** Oh brilliant, really? I love that chapter too and I tried really hard to get her reaction right. I know there's not a lot of realism to be had when you write a superpowered fic, but I wanted her reaction to still be a bit normal, if you see what I mean?

* * *

"Good afternoon. Did you come with a question?" Rowena asked as Hermione and Ginny stumbled out of the trees and into the clearing. She noted the absence of Harry and gathered that the girls had come with some kind of problem.

The girls shot guilty looks at each other for a moment and then Hermione spoke; "Can there be other elements? Or are there only the four?"

"There are several other elements. No more or less powerful than the four you would imagine to be the 'main' Elements." Ravenclaw began the explanation as Slytherin walked over to them. "These Subtle elements are usually much harder to see then the four main elements."

"Why do you ask?" Slytherin's grin clearly said that he had guessed the answer.

"Last night, Ginny and I were swimming in the Lake. The lake was glowing and the moon was powerful, somehow. It changed the way we felt, and it called out to us." Hermione's story was a little hesitant. It wasn't that she didn't want the founders to know, it was just that she wasn't entirely sure of what had happened.

"But since 'Mione woke up this morning, whenever water touches her skin…" Ginny trailed off, letting Hermione explain.

"I turn-"

"Can you show us?" Rowena's eyes were alight with curiosity.

Hermione nodded and at Ginny's suggestion she sat down on the grass before she called a globe of water from a near-by stream to hover over her.

"Are you ready?" Hermione cringed slightly as she let gravity claim the water and felt it splash onto her legs.

Ginny was counting the seconds under her breath and the founders looked distinctly confused and excited as they waited. As soon as Ginny whispered "One" Hermione's body was momentarily encased in glowing water and as soon as it had arrived, the water vanished, leaving Hermione a mermaid.

"I see…" Rowena knelt next to Hermione and Hermione nodded her permission for the other woman to touch her tail.

"You're beautiful." Slytherin smiled at her kindly.

Hermione sat up, curling her tail to one side of herself, to wait for the water to evaporate and leave her human.

"Thank you, but… how did it happen? I though it could have been another element, but surely this is water?" Hermione sighed at her apparently disproved hypothesis.

"Actually, no, that is most definitely moonlight" Rowena seated herself comfortably on the grass and motioned for the others to do the same. Gunny suddenly came to her senses and started to heat the water that surrounded Hermione and managed to evaporate all of it without burning her once-again-human friend. Hermione shot her a grateful look as Ginny settled back onto the grass.

"The subtle elements; things like darkness, ice, starlight and moonlight, don't manifest in the ways you might imagine them to." Slytherin began.

"The power of moonlight is the power of transformation." Ravenclaw continued. "I'd imagine that because you control water so well; the moonlight chose a transformation to help you."

"So this is a new element, after all?" Hermione began to understand.

"So it would seem. Although it's unusual that you're the only one with two elements." Salazar mused as he let his eyes rest on Ginny.

After a quick deliberation with Harry, Ginny spoke up. "Actually I think Harry might have two. He's always been able to do things with darkness; he even made wings once."

"Wings?" Rowena stayed quiet for a moment as she thought. "I'd wager that he has the shadow element. It's the element that gives Vampires their power, and if he truly has it, then those wings will be permanent."

"Shadows would make sense, sometimes he can travel by shadow." Hermione remembered their race and Harry's unexpected tactics.

"That's it then." Slytherin pulled Ginny to her feet and drew her away from the others saying something along the lines of; "That new technique I suggested to Harry, has he had any look with it?"

Once they were alone, Rowena turned back to Hermione. "Tell me, has Ginny touched water since last night?"

"Yes, she was the one that found me the first time the tail appeared. We spend the afternoon working it all out."

"Interesting… but has she touched water when the moon was out?"

"No. Not yet, it hasn't risen for the night." Hermione saw where this was going. "Ginny has moonlight as an element too?"

"It seems likely. After all she was affected by the moon last night; just not by the lake."

"But her element is fire; shouldn't that give her a different transformation?"

"Not at all. The moonlight chose to help you both; it's power is a gift-" Hermione interrupted the founder before she could stop herself.

"And we were swimming at the time." Ravenclaw nodded.

"If Ginny touches water when the moon is in the sky, she will become a mermaid too."

Hermione grinned at the thought; it would be nice to have someone to explore the lake with; and even nicer to test the theory of Ginny potentially becoming a mermaid.

"One more thing before you go back to the castle; do you sing, Hermione?" It was such an odd question that it startled an answer from her.

"Yes. Not very well, but I like to."

"You might like to try it as a mermaid." Rowena winked and shooed Hermione over to where Ginny was waiting for her.

"I've been meaning to ask;" Hermione said as they started their journey back to the castle. They were in no rush and the others wouldn't be finished with the headmaster until later. "What's going on with Harry and Draco. Or is that you, Harry and Draco?"

"Oh that." Ginny laughed "We don't know. The rumours just started about those two somehow, and so they're making a joke out of it, or a game."

"So how did you get dragged in?"

"It was Harry's idea. And before you ask; no. Draco didn't kiss me."

"Really? But everyone saw it happen." Hermione said with a roll of her eyes that said Lavender and Parvatti had seen it happen and decided they counted as 'everyone.'

"No, he just stood in front of me and they assumed we were kissing."

"That's probably good; Harry might have been worried." It was a round about way to ask if Harry was upset by what had happened.

"Harry was standing next to me." Ginny collapsed into a fit of giggles as Hermione's eyebrows rose.

"So the whole thing's a joke?" Hermione still sounded incredulous.

"Are you disappointed?"

"No. Well… maybe a little."

"Honestly? Me too."

Once the girls made it through to the edge of the forest, avoiding a rather determined centaur that had been following them for the last mile as he tried to work out where the sense of water and fire was coming from, The sun had started to dip lower in the sky and was approaching the horizon.

"You don't feel like swimming do you?" Ginny said as she watched Hermione stare silently and longingly at the water.

"Sorry, what?" Hermione snapped back to reality.

"Go to the lake, I'll keep you company from the shore."

"Really?" Hermione was filled with child-like enthusiasm that proved to be catching as Ginny ran to the lake's edge with her. When they got there the two girls stood as close to the water as they could get without actually touching it.

"Are you nervous?" Ginny gripped Hermione's hand as they stared out over the lake.

"Just trying to think of a graceful way to do this." She laughed.

"I see, well, while you think…" Ginny sat down on the sandy shore and called tiny wafer-thin sheets of fire to burn brightly in each of the windows that faced the lake. As she adjusted them, the fire became a glare, as though the light of the sun was shining directly through the window and so would discourage anyone from looking out. "I'll take care of any potential spectators."

"Thanks Ginny." Hermione took a breath and walked into the lake. As soon as the water rose above her knees, she saw she had about another three meters of shallow water before the ledge dropped away and the real lake began. Hermione decided to wait there rather than making a run for the deep water and transforming mid-dash. She lowered herself into the cool water, which was responding considerately to her presence and heating itself to blood-temperature.

"Everything alright?" Ginny called from the shore.

"Umm…" Hermione was still counting mentally and so she refrained from answering until the wave of moonlight-filled water washed over her and receded leaving her a mermaid. "Everything's wonderful!"

Hermione's voice was filled with excitement as she sat there on the shallow ledge; the water of the lake reaching her ribs. The water itself seemed pleased to have her; its power was gentle and it seemed intrigued by her presence. Each invisible water current that brushed past her seemed to linger slightly as it approached her and felt her power. It was almost as though the lake had missed her.

Resolutely, Hermione turned in the water so that she faced out towards the lake and she swept her tail behind her. She gave an experimental flick of her fin and found herself pushed easily forwards through the water. She couldn't help the grin that spread across her face, and keeping the movements of her tail small, she moved towards the edge of that shallow water and for the first time she saw the vastness of the Great Lake beyond.

She glanced back at the bank to wave at Ginny, who waved and giggled back. Then Hermione gripped the edge of that underwater wall, took a breath, and sank beneath the waves.

As soon as she was completely underwater, swimming somehow became even more natural. Her movements ware eel-like and graceful; her hair fanned out behind her as she danced more than swam through the water. Hermione let her hands drift at her sides as she opened her eyes to find that the water no longer hurt or irritated them, no matter how fast she was swimming. And that was another thing that surprised her; the power. She had imagined that she would be able to swim quickly; the size and flexibility of her tail and fin had hinted at that much, but this was like flying. The speed was dizzying and she felt weightless as she made her way around the edge of the lake.

She had wanted to go deeper into the lake, but she decided to save that for another day. She also had a theory that the lake was connected to the sea as it had tides and was filled with salt water and so she wanted to see if there was some kind of passage that would lead to the ocean.

As she continued to swim along; she noticed the light shifting from yellow through to orange and finally approaching red. It was at that point that she noticed she hadn't taken a breath since she slid beneath the surface of the lake. Somehow she didn't need to breathe, she could hold her breath for as long as she liked. Well, she assumed that there was a limit to the ability somewhere, but she hadn't reached it yet!

Effortlessly she rose the last few feat to break through into the air and saw that she was across the other side of the lake from Ginny. Hermione slid back beneath the surface and finally gave in to the urge to test her speed. As the underwater landscape blurred around her, and remembering the founder's hint, she started to sing under her breath. The whole experience was exhilarating and she noticed that the sound was carried incredibly well under water and even the echo seemed to add depth to her voice. Before now, Hermione loved to sing in private. She wasn't incredible or (to her mind) very good, but she was passable. Her voice sounded nice as long as she didn't try for too many ambitious and high notes. But in the lake her voice sounded right. It wasn't that her voice was suddenly stunning, but it had become confident and natural; as though she had discovered a piece of music that suited her perfectly.

When she crossed the lake (in less than a minute, she noted with pride) Ginny hurried to the part of the shore that was closest to Hermione.

"'Mione, was that you? The singing?" Ginny questioned.

"Oh... yes, I was just-"

"You sounded great, I didn't know you could sing!"

"Neither did I, really."

"What was it?"

"Oh, it-" Hermione blushed laughing at herself "It's from a muggle film."

"What's it about?" Ginny had been captivated by the melody.

"Its called 'the little mermaid' and it's about… well, you can guess." Hermione's blush intensified as the girls fell (once more) into laughter.

Ginny looked over at the finally setting sun and crossed her legs in front of her as she sat on the grassy bank that gave way to one of the deeper parts of the Great Lake.

"You're going to have to teach me that song, you know."

"I promise. Have the boys been past?" Hermione began to wonder if she should be thinking about getting out of the lake. She sighed quietly and closed her eyes.

"No, not yet… they should be finished soon though." Ginny answered.

_Will you be here soon?_

_I think so, we're almost done here. It'll take Ron a little longer to finish his part, the map should be ready by tomorrow._

_And you'll explain it then?_

_Of course. Are you two at the lake? … Gin?_

_Oh sorry! Hermione's just… I wish you could see this._

_We should be there in about half an hour, we're finished for the day but we need to go to the tower before we meet you_. Which Harry and Ron were now going to do as fast as possible to see whatever it was that Hermione had found.

_See you soon then!_

Ginny had watched as Hermione began to rise out of the lake and hover in mid air; a look of deep concentration on her face. After a moment or two, Hermione 'flew' so that she was sitting beside Ginny on the grass and let her tail hang over the ledge and dip beneath the water.

"H-How …?" Ginny winced at her own eloquence.

"I moved the water that was touching me, and that moved me with it." She hadn't been quite sure that it would have worked in this form, but it had worked just fine when they'd raced through the castle weeks before.

Understanding flooded through Ginny's eyes at Hermione's words and she relaxed again. She sometimes wondered if they would ever stop shocking each other.

"Ok, well…" Ginny stumbled slightly as she looked for something other than Hermione's tail to comment on.

"You wanted to learn the song? The words might help." Hermione leant back onto her hands as she swished her fin back and forth through the water still enjoying every sensation that came with being a mermaid.

"Probably." Ginny sat straighter; paying attention.

"Right, we'll still have to watch the film at some point, it's wonderful."

"And apparently you star in it?" Ginny grinned.

"Actually Ariel had red hair."

"Suddenly I like her more and more!"

"Anyway, we'll start with the shorter version." After she made sure she could remember the words, Hermione began with: "What would I give to live where you are? What would I pay to stay here beside you?" As she sang, her voice became stronger and clearer as she gained confidence in her ability, in fact she could almost hear the music swelling behind her to guide her song "What would I do to see you smiling at me" As she held the note, the music flew to a crescendo along with her voice and her thoughts were filled with Ron and then, briefly, Harry.

Hermione paused for a moment to draw breath. "Where would we-" She was suddenly interrupted by a startled shout that came from three places and forced its way through Hermione's concentration.

As she had sung "What would I do to see you smiling at me" Hermione had somehow conjured Ron and Harry into the air in front of her. As the boys disappeared from Gryffindor tower, they heard a fleeting glimpse of a song and then were suddenly suspended three meters above the Great Lake with nothing to hold them in place.

As they both started to fall, Ron called on his power and pulled his wings into existence. Ever since Ron had returned from the Death Eaters with Snape's help, there had been a tattoo of white delicately feathered wings on his shoulder blades and stretching down his back. He'd discovered very soon afterwards that if he used his element, those powerful wings were brought into existence (more than twice as large at the tattooed version) and he had been teaching himself to fly as a surprise for the others.

Ron knew that he wasn't perfect at flying yet, and every time he called his wings, it shredded whichever shirt he happened to be wearing at the time. But when he appeared in mid-air, he'd reacted on instinct. He spread his wings wide to catch as much air as possible and get into the rhythm of flying without starting from the ground. But then he noticed Harry appear next to him. Ron made and awkward grab for his friend as gravity pulled Harry towards the crystalline surface of the lake.

Ron missed.

Harry fell into the water with a very shocked and rather undignified shout. In fact, he was too shocked to really react to the fact that he was fast approaching water and so he hadn't taken a breath.

"Harry!" Ginny gasped and she looked pleadingly towards Hermione who was already preparing herself to dive back into the water.

Hermione used the side of the lake to push off and somehow made the whole dive look practiced and almost artistic as her body arched gracefully as she plunged into the lake after Harry, and narrowly avoided Ron as he turned desperately to avoid colliding with either his girlfriend, or the water.

Ron staggered slightly as he landed on the bank next to Ginny and pulled the tattered remains of his shirt from around his arms.

"Um… hi?" He said at Ginny's open-mouthed expression.

"You have wings?"

"They're sort of… new" Ron cringed.

"No kidding." Ginny was still in shock. But at the same time the wings didn't really surprise her; Ron's element was air, after all.

"Hey, Ginny? Was it me or did Hermione have a tail?"

"That's new too."

Suddenly the calm surface of the lake was broken as Hermione dragged Harry into the air and he tried his best not to choke on the gallon of water he had inhaled.

"Thanks!" he managed to gasp as Ron pulled him up onto the bank. "I like the wings, Ron. Oh, and I love the tail, 'Mione." Harry shook the water from his eyes as he sat next to Ron and Ginny as they faced Hermione who was still in the lake.

_I have to say, it wasn't your best entrance_ Harry could hear the fear and shock in her voice, but he couldn't hold back his laughter at her words. Thankfully it looked to the others as if he was laughing from shock.

"I-I should have told you both, I'm sorry." Hermione said in a small voice once Harry could breathe again.

"Me too. I should have said something, I just wanted to get the hang of it first." Ron added.

"You looked great to me." Harry assured his friend.

"Is that everything then?" Ginny asked "No more surprises?"

"Not from me" Harry assured her. "And we already know about your wings."

"Yeah, what happened to those?" Ron wondered. Since discovering his wings Ron had to exercise a lot of self-control to keep from using them all the time. Once he was in the air, it was all so natural for him that he wanted to stay there.

"Well I have to have the power to call them. I can do it, but it takes a lot out of me." Ginny shrugged "It's easier if I'm near a fire though." As she spoke, she leaned over to Harry and, careful not to touch him, she burned the water from his clothes and hair until he was dry again.

"Thanks." He smiled. "So how did we get here, exactly?" His eyes drifted towards Hermione as she leant on the bank.

"I think I sang you here." She admitted, remembering the rush of adrenaline and power that had accompanied her song. It would make sense if their assumption that she was a mermaid was a little off.

"Sang? You mean you're a siren?" Ron tried to understand.

"I think so. The Great Lake used to be called The Siren's Lake, and it really feels like home all of a sudden." Hermione said, thinking that she was going to have to be more careful about what she sang until she had this under control.

"And the founders did suggest you sing. They must have known." Ginny added. "We went to see them this afternoon; you two were working with Dumbledore and we didn't want to interrupt, but we were worried when this happened."

"But it's alright now, I understand it, at least." Hermione smiled reassuringly at her worried (and apparently winged) boyfriend. She began to explain how she'd gotten her powers while hinting several things to the boys when Ginny wasn't looking.

"So you both went swimming in the lake when the moon was up?" Harry grinned as he stood up, pretending he needed to stretch.

"And that's when the moon gave you power?" Ron continued as he walked around behind his sister.

"Yes. The power is stronger now that the moon is up again." Hermione gestured to the reflection of the orb in the lake.

"And the founders think it changed Ginny too?" Ron finished and he and Harry grabbed the redhead, who let out a startled 'eep,' as they threw her into the lake.

Ginny, having learnt from Harry's experience earlier remembered to gasp for breath as the boys propelled her through the air and out over the water. As she disappeared beneath the surface, with a splash almost as big as the one Harry had managed, she heard the other three try and fail to conceal their laughter.

Once she was underwater she curled into a ball until she could get her bearings and work out which way was up. It would have been a lot easier if the water hadn't been so dark. She reached for her power and found that she could call heat under water with barely a second thought, but calling light took a little more concentration.

Finally the water around her was emitting a soft glow and she started to kick her legs, heading for the blue and silver tail that she could make out in the distance.

She was half way there when she realised that she wasn't kicking legs anymore. Ginny turned to see herself in the water. Her long hair, which was completely unrestrained, flowed around her echoing her movements. Where Hermione had grown scales of blue and silver, Ginny had red and gold. Aside from the different colours, the two looked almost identical, although Ginny's transformation did not include any of the pearls that graced Hermione's hair.

It was a strange experience for Ginny; this power hadn't really been meant for her, it was just by coincidence that she'd received it. The power itself seemed happy enough to have coursed through her as well as Hermione, but Ginny knew that she couldn't embody it in the same way as her friend.

When Ginny appeared next to Hermione at the edge of the lake, she muttered a heartfelt "I hate you all." But then followed it with a "Being a mermaid is fun though!"

"You're sure you aren't a siren too?" Hermione asked.

"Yes. I don't feel any connection to the lake and my voice is the same as always. It's not really my element though, is it?" Ginny smiled to show that she was happy with the form even if it wasn't quite natural for her.

"We'll have to explore the lake soon." Hermione enthused, and Ginny found herself joining in. She got the idea that the more time she spent as a mermaid, the more comfortable she would be. At the moment she felt a little awkward, put she was sure that it would pass.

"Well, I don't know about the rest of you but I'm starved." Ron looked longingly up at the castle. And then, remembering his sudden lack of a shirt, he summoned one from his room. He had a moment to enjoy using a wand again (although he noticed that he now found it harder than working with his element) before he set to work levitating Ginny and Hermione on to the bank where Harry could catch them and Ginny could dry them until they turned human again.

Together the four made their way up to the castle and into the Great Hall. By the time they got there, dinner was in full swing and they sat at the Gryffindor table almost unnoticed. In fact they were allowed to laugh together completely uninterrupted for the whole of the main course, and it was only when Ron turned to Lavender to ask her to pass the custard during dessert, that the rest of their friends seated at the table seemed to have decided they were allowed to speak to the four.

After a few minutes of small talk and catching up on how the other Gryffindors were managing with their assignments, it was Neville that asked the question Harry had been waiting for.

"Harry these rumours about you and D-Malfoy… they must be made up?" Neville's voice was filled with confusion over the subject, and Harry was pleased to hear the almost spoken first name of the DA member.

"Of course they must." Harry said in a tone that made it unclear if he was being sarcastic. He then shot a look at Neville to let him know that the rumours were very much made up and Neville looked relieved to hear it. He had no doubt been working for Harry's sanity.

"By the way, Harry?" Lavender called from Neville's other side "When's the next DA meeting?"

"I'm not sure about the next meeting, that's more up to Neville and the others" Harry was teasing her, and she knew it.

"You know what I mean!" She said in a slightly exasperated voice "When are the four of you going to fight Draco and the others?"

"Well…" He looked over at Ron who drew his lips back in a wolf like grin, Hermione who nodded and Ginny who gripped his hand beneath the table. "As soon as Draco, Blaise, Luna and Neville are ready."

"I'm always ready, lover, haven't you realised by now?" Draco drawled as he arched an eyebrow, having silently crept over to stand behind Harry.

"You'll just have to prove it again." Harry returned as he twisted to meet Draco's eyes with a blatant challenge in his gaze.

"Before this descends too far," Blaise intoned from beside Draco "I believe there was a question?"

"Yes." Harry stood, movements mirrored perfectly by the other chosen, to face Draco and Blaise. "Are you free tomorrow night?"


	32. DA vs Chosen

Severus Snape was tired

I just wanted to ask if the chapter alert had gone out on my last chapter? I'm just wondering because 1) I didn't get sent one and 2) I missed a few of my usual reviewers. Now if they didn't review because they didn't feel like it, then that's fine and I'm sorry for pestering them… but if the alert didn't go out, I might have a problem with my account.

**Hawkeye1958** – Ooo epic fail on that first deadline there…. I made the second one though! (Just p)

**kubas89** – Thank you!

**US2UK06 **– Thanks for pointing that out, I'll change it when I edit the chapter.

**Maricam25** – Haha yeah, I did get the idea from Cleo, but I changed it a bit to fit Wings better (as you can see) Ron has your stereotypical angel wings, all made soft white feathers with a beautiful texture.

**Goodygurl** – Yay, I'm glad you loved it! And sorry for the wait on this chapter!

**Any reviewer that wants me to love them EVEN more: I'd be over the moon if you know where I got that line from! D**

* * *

Severus Snape was tired. In fact 'tired' could no longer cover the intensity of the emotion: exhausted, bone-weary and completely worn out came closer. He was stretched too thin between his allegiance to the light and his 'loyalty' to the Dark Lord. He was fast becoming a man in need of rescue, but he would never let that show. His day was overwhelming as a whole and so he broke it down into a sequence of smaller tasks. Things like 'eating breakfast' seemed far more achievable than surviving an entire day of teaching.

The last revel had been somewhat uninspired, which is not to suggest that it had been anything less than horrific to endure, but that it had been altogether predictable. He had known more or less what to expect from the moment Severus had been summoned, and that in itself was a rarity: it was well known amongst the Death eaters that his personal tastes did not run into the sadism of the revels, and so he was usually excluded unless the Dark Lord requested his presence.

The revel had been somewhat standard: the newer initiates had accosted a village of muggles and once they had created enough terror and anguish, the select group of experienced Death eaters had retired to Malfoy Manner. Severus did not dwell on what had happened there; it would do no good now. He had aided three of the teenage girls and two teenage boys that he had been able to separate from the group. The others had been beyond his help.

The reason the predictability disturbed him was that in order to achieve that predictability, the Death Eaters of the Inner Circle must all have been distracted and overworked. The Dark Lord had increased his recruitment drive to epic proportions, and it was working far too well. More than a quarter of the wizards in Britain were now allied to the Dark Lord and most of the people left were struggling to remain neutral. There was no army for the light.

For what must have been at least the millionth time, he wished he could change things. There was only so much a spy could do: his sphere of influence was tragically small. It was not his place to fight in the war; it was his duty to stay intricately involved in it.

Today, however, he found a modicum of peace. The project he had been working on with the Headmaster and the Chosen was complete. Now that was something they did have on the light side: they had the Chosen. The group were still untried, they had rescued Hermione, but obviously they had not been able to do so as a complete unit. They would surely be tested soon and then Severus would have a better idea of where the power truly lay in the war.

The large canvas frame was stretched out in the centre of Albus's office, and had been doused in Severus's experimental potion (one that the ministry would hate for him to have concocted) and Harry was now filling the blank expanse of the canvas with his power.

The power in the room was astounding. Oh, he had known that the Chosen would be powerful, but the pressure of their magic put his teeth on edge. The problem was that the Dark Lord's power did the same thing, but his power was stronger. Of course there were only two of the Chosen present, perhaps united they would be more powerful than the Dark Lord?

Severus and Albus left the two to their work, Harry's power was fully concentrated on the canvas, and Ron barely paused to draw breath as he chanted in one long continuous passage. The words were ancient and called a yellow glow to the redhead's hands as he moved them across the back of the frame.

He prayed they would be successful and then they would understand how far the Dark Lord's army had come. Then they would be able to fight back.

Severus returned to his dungeons letting a familiar smirk tug at his features. He had been on his feet for the past forty hours and was in no mood to deal with impressionable young minds that could not begin to tell the difference between a potion that would obliterate the castle and the one he had instructed the to brew. To make matters worse, his earliest morning class was made up of first years. God help him, were there any more annoying creatures on the whole planet than a group of first years so intent on 'winning' their house's honour from their enemies that they missed the fact that their supposedly midnight blue potion had turned an inexplicable shade of fuchsia?

He needed a drink.

On the upside, he had the feeling that his wager with Minerva was going to be very profitable this year. For almost as long as they had both taught at Hogwarts, the wager had existed in one form or another. Minerva would challenge him to complete increasingly dramatic and supposedly unreachable feats of 'cruelty' towards the students without their realising that he was acting. He prided himself on being very, VERY good at it.

He knew that his best chances of winning the first of this year's bets lay with the first year Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw class. He had been charged with reducing the whole class to tears in the same lesson. The Slytherins would not cry in public unless they could not stop themselves, and crying in front of a Gryffindor was regarded as the eighth deadly sin, which left the other class for his task. Sadly he did not have the desired class today and so he settled for the absolute silence the Slytherin and Gryffindor class offered him after a particularly graphic description of a punishment he offered one unlucky girl. He then reminded himself to give her an 'O' for the day. She would never see her real grade as she was a Gryffindor and must therefore receive marks below an E at all times, but it would be recorded officially.

Due to the unique experience that was sleep deprivation, he noticed that the class were on the whole more cheerful than usual, but he didn't pay much attention to it. His second class of the day was made up of third years, and they too seemed… excited. There was no other word for it. Severus mused over his lunch and he dearly wished he could talk it over with Minerva. She wasn't seated at the table, but he decided to try her office after the meal.

"Minerva have the students seemed odd to you?" He had stormed through her classroom with his usual demeanour, but it had softened upon seeing her face looking almost as tired as his own.

"I've been teaching Slytherins all morning, I'm afraid you'll have to rephrase the question." She smiled at him.

"Very witty." He informed her.

"I thought so."

"Do they seem excited?"

"Now that you mention it…" She trailed off as the memories of her paired students came to light: they had all been buzzing with anticipation. "They were."

"You don't know why?" He sighed as he collapsed into a chair.

"No." She squinted over at her window, noticing that once again the sun seemed to be hitting it at just the wrong angle, and she couldn't see out of it. She suspected something had gone awry with the wards.

Severus followed her gaze and found that he could see through the glare. There was more than one perk to having been trained (however indirectly) by the founders. He could not do anything that would hold a candle to their power, but he could manage to see through a slim sheet of fire that and been placed with only minimal thought.

"I believe I shall ask your favourite students." A rare smile graced his face as he saw the lake.

"You think the Chosen are behind this?" She closed her eyes as she spoke. "Of course you do: they're always behind everything."

"Caught on, have you?" He quirked an eyebrow at her.

* * *

After Harry's rather disastrous experience with the lake, and Ginny discovering one more thing she had in common with Hermione, the girls had spent the very early morning (before the sun rose) in the lake.

They had begun at the surface and gotten Ginny more used to her tail until she was able to keep up with Hermione. Both girls found that they didn't need to breathe underwater, and so they decided to explore a little deeper into the lake. Ginny called light to the water around them and lit their way through the seemingly endless water.

There was the obvious problem of speech, which was not easy underwater. Hermione found that after a few minutes playing with her power, she could alter the muffling echo of the water and so they could speak clearly providing Ginny was close enough to her. She also discovered that she could pull oxygen from the water to allow them to replace the air they used in speaking, but the whole process took a lot of concentration and while it was perfect for the lake, Hermione rationalised that she wouldn't be able to do it in a more serious situation.

They had decided to search for the mermaid's village that Harry had discovered during his second task in his fourth year, and they thought they might have been drawing closer to it when a group of grindylows appeared around them. Far from the vicious reaction they had expected, the creatures seemed fascinated by them. Hermione and Ginny continued swimming deeper into the lake and found that their horde of grindylow were following them.

"They don't seem dangerous." Ginny smiled at one that reached out to run reverend fingers over her fins as she passed.

"No, I suppose not." Hermione turned to watch them. "They're quite sweet, don't you think?"

"Yeah." Ginny pulled softly away from the grindylow and waved at it as they moved further from the grindylows territory.

By the time they happened upon the mermaid's settlement, it was after dawn. Neither of the girls noticed this at first, in fact it was only as they saw the village and noticed that it was lit by the thin rays of the sun, that they realised.

Rather than explore, although both girls desperately wanted too, they returned to the surface.

"Why do you think…" Ginny trailed off as she dipped briefly back under the water's surface to sweep her hair back and away from her face.

"Hmm?" Hermione waited for her, flicking her tail softly to keep herself afloat.

"Well, I can only change when the moon's out." Ginny said as they made for the shore and she flicked fire at the castle's windows to hide them from view.

"Yes, but you didn't change in the daylight." Hermione pointed out as she searched for a more definite explanation.

"True… I should see if the tail goes away." Ginny looked forlornly up at the shore and Hermione took pity on her. While Ginny worried that she might be stuck with her tail until the moon came up, Hermione called to the water around Ginny and lifted he softly onto the shore so that Ginny could dry herself.

Ginny swept a hand across her the expanse of glittering scarlet scales that formed her tail, and (to her immense relief) they melted back into her pyjama-clad legs.

"Right, but does it come back?" She murmured to herself.

"Only one way to find out!" Hermione giggled, enjoying the break from training far too much. She held out her hand and flicked her fingers towards Ginny causing a jet of water to ark from the surface of the lake and drench the redhead.

"No tail." Ginny spluttered a few seconds later, before she too laughed. "You didn't sing today, did you?"

"No. I'm a bit cautious." Hermione confided. "Songs have dramatic lyrics and if I sing something without meaning it, it could do anything."

"You know, I felt that way when I started to work with fire." Ginny explained. "It seemed so out of control to begin with and I thought I'd never understand how it worked."

"How did you manage in the end?" Hermione had always felt the swell of her power within herself and when her power had shaped itself into her tide, it had called to the water perfectly: uninhibited by worry and fear.

"I started small, making the tiniest fire I could and controlling that." Ginny smiled. "Of course, it helped that I had the Founders there."

Hermione considered Ginny's words and decided to abandon lyrics for the time being. She hummed an ascending scale almost under her breath and she resisted the urge to reach for her power. Nothing happened.

"Good!" Ginny grinned at her, "That was perfect."

The second time Hermione tried the scale, she touched the waves of power contained within her with just the edge of her mind and she rose from the water a little more with each note.

Abruptly she cut short her successful attempt, and fell back into the lake, because something caught her eye.

"Did you see that?" Hermione's eyes were drawn towards a window, but she couldn't make anything out.

At the same instant, Ginny had rounded on the school and leapt to her feet.

"Someone saw us?" Hermione pulled herself out of the lake, fear overcoming the fun of the morning.

"Let me check." Ginny concentrated hard and pulled her wings into existence. They were stronger in the sunlight. She flew for the window that had moved as she strengthened the barriers at all the others.

Five minutes later, she returned to the much more human version of Hermione that was waiting for her.

"They were leaving, but it was McGonagall's office and there was someone tall and in black" Ginny sighed; only one person filled that description.

"Snape then?" Hermione smiled. "Feel like a potion's class this afternoon?"

"How about now?" Ginny shielded her eyes as she looked up at the sun and felt a subtle click in her mind that told her the time from it's position. After all, the sun was fire. They had five minutes until afternoon classes began.

Hermione looked down at her own pyjamas and wisely suggested a detour to their tower for a change of clothes.

There was only half an hour of potions class left by the time the girls made it down to the dungeons, because finding their uniforms had proved far trickier than anticipated and summoning them would be 'cheating.'

It was a fourth year class that they interrupted.

Hermione knocked and Snape snapped at the door for them to enter.

"Professor Snape?" Ginny led the way into the classroom. It immediately burst into a frenzy of whispering.

"What is the meaning of this?" Snape's voice cut through the whispered and threw the room back into silence. Inwardly he smiled: the fourth years were still scared of him. "Am I not to be respected?"

Snape stalked through the rows of students and used the rant he began as an excuse to look into each cauldron as he passed it. Today's assignment was highly volatile at this crucial stage.

"Miss Granger, Miss Weasley" Snape paused long enough to show contempt for them. "How may I be of…service?"

"We wondered, sir, if you had been to the lake at all this morning?" Ginny entered the conversation and copied Hermione's thoroughly intimidated posture, which was just as fake as Snape's hatred.

"Come here." Snape beckoned to them and as they crossed the line that separated the front of the room from the desks of children, Severus activated a spell in the stone that would keep the students from overhearing a single word they said. The spell was suitably devious to suit both his 'Greasy Git' and genuine spy personas. The girls took his hint and looked suitably scared throughout the conversation while the class watched.

For twenty minutes the three spoke behind the barrier and the class pretended to be paying attention to their potions. Then Anthony Steel succumbed to a coughing fit that made Ruby Adams flinch hard enough that she dropped her vial of Crushed Fire-Seeds into her cauldron.

The resulting explosion was not only magnificent, but also unexpected. Her cauldron erupted into a fireball that grew as the class shrank away. The globe continued to expand until, only a second later, it engulfed three of the desks and the class shrank away from the flames and found themselves trapped against the back wall.

Hermione was facing the class and the words flew from her lips before her mind remembered she was trying not to sing.

"We'll make every last moment last."

The rest of the song was irrelevant, it was that one line that gave her power form. The power flowed freely from her until it hit the walls of the room. Everyone aside from herself, Ginny and Professor Snape slowed as time did. It was a draining spell and it took a lot of strength to keep in place: her power literally slowed time in the room to make one second last until she let it go.

Ginny had felt the pull of heat through the spell and she whirled to face the class. She threw a hand out and forced it through the line of the spell. She caught the fire, slammed her power against it and stopped it growing through sheer stubbornness.

"Ginny?" Hermione gasped.

"I can't shrink it." She panted as sweat rolled down her face, the heat of the fire was immense and she was trying to shield the students from that too. "I can't… can they see us?"

"No, I don't think so." Hermione had felt her power move that time: it was subtly different from her water element and she had the feel of it now. It was hers to use as she wished.

"What happened?" Ginny couldn't move for fear of losing her grip.

Hermione approached the cauldron that had started the blaze as Snape did.

"Ah." He noted the vial missing from the girl's ingredients. "If you'll allow me?"

Privately he was glad of a chance to show his skill. Their reactions had been lightning fast: from the first syllable of Hermione's and the first movement from Ginny, the situation had been under control. The problem was not solved, but it was not worsening. He could not have done so much alone; his handling of the situation would have left half the class in the hospital wing.

One by one, Severus summoned the Seeds from the potion and placed them in an unbreakable vial where they could burn without expanding: a contained explosion would take place safely behind the glass.

"Of course!" He saw the glittering understanding in Hermione's eyes and he wished for a moment that she were still his pupil.

"It's getting easier." Ginny relaxed as the pressure of the flames lessened against the restraints she had placed on them with her power.

"How long will your spell hold?" Ginny asked her friend.

"I need to break it soon." She could last longer, but hoped she wouldn't need too.

They rearranged themselves into their original positions after Snape had pocketed the unbreakable vial.

"Why are we doing this?" He hadn't understood what Hermione had done: singing should not have affected the room at all.

"What you saw of us," She said "I'm not a mermaid, I'm a siren."

"So you sang of slowing time, and…" Was that possible?

"Time stopped." She nodded.

"Impressive." He smiled at the two girls and they looked so shocked that he almost laughed.

Hermione dropped her spell and Ginny provided a suitably intimidating, although completely harmless, end to the explosion.

Snape then reached hew heights of rage as he ruthlessly berated his students and allowed the two Chosen to leave the classroom.

* * *

The first time the Chosen met that day was in the Room of Requirement while they waited for Draco, Blaize, Neville and Luna. They barely had time to exchange a hello before the quartet entered.

The rest of the DA would be allowed into the room in a few minutes, once they had decided upon rules for the match.

"We're really doing this, then?" Neville shifted his weight nervously.

"Oh, yes." Draco's eyes were fixed on the Chosen and they glimmered with anticipation.

"We need rules." Hermione said.

"We have some." Blaise spoke up. Draco had suggested a set, which he voiced to the group.

Naturally Ron disagreed with one of the points and the debate began from there.

Half an hour later they had agreed on nothing and Harry pulled on just enough of his Alpha-self to be listened too.

"I say we ban offensive spells. We fight using anything either defensive or undefined." Harry understood that Draco's rules were designed to try and lessen the Chosen's advantage, and he went along with that.

"We fight on the stage, and the fight ends when…" He thought for a moment.

"When they summon a flag from each of us." Hermione and Ginny had conjured four flags in silver and four in black.

"It was supposed to be a duel." Luna pointed out.

"It still will be, in a way, only now it's like a game." Ginny smiled.

"Very well." Luna found that she liked the idea and she accepted a black flag from Draco and tied it around her waist over her skirt.

The Chosen and the DA leaders lined up while the DA (and what looked like half the school) stormed into the room.

Draco and Harry were in the centre with the others spread out from there. Neville was on the far right on the line, next to Luna who stood by Blaise. Draco and Harry came next then Ron, Ginny and Hermione completed the line.

"Quiet." Harry laughed, and silence fell.

"We're still having the duel, only we're having some fun with it." Draco smirked.

"You can see the flags." Harry touched his own, which was tied around his upper right arm, as he spoke. "Silver for us and Black for your new leaders."

The eyes of the crowd flitted from one person to the next, seeing the boys with their flags tied like Harry's and the girls who wore them over their school skirts.

"The fight ends with the last person wearing a flag as the winner." Draco informed them.

"Sounds simple, right?" Harry smiled. "We can't use offensive spells. That means no curses and no hexes. Oh, and the flags have a spell on them so they can't be summoned until they leave a person."

The crowd rumbled with excitement as the duellers separated into their groups and turned to face each other.

As requested, Lavender began the duel for them by stetting off a shower of gold sparks from her wand.

Immediately the Chosen fell into their usual positions; Ron and Hermione stood together back to back, in the centre, and Ginny and Harry circled them.

_Huh_

_What is it?_

_Using a wand is…odd._ Harry smiled a little as he said it.

Ginny cast a sidelong glance at Harry and saw that he too was holding his wand before him as though it were a sword.

They easily countered the spells that the other four sent at them for the first few minutes, and they managed to hit Neville with a charm that slowed his movements which made Luna pull back from the fight to break though. The Slytherins stood outnumbered (although only Ron and Hermione were sending spells at them) until Blaise made a chance discovery.

He shot a jet of water from his wand, and aimed for Ginny hoping she would be distracted by it. Ginny was more than distracted. She ran.

She dodged around Harry and slid into place next to Hermione.

"What?" Hermione was jolted out of her concentration as Ginny pulled her further back.

Hermione ran with Ginny and then turned back to see the water that was fast approaching them on the floor.

"Damn!" Hermione gave up on her wand because it was slowing her down. She held a hand out over the water and shooed it away from herself and Ginny: neither wanted to grow a tail in front of the school.

Hermione made a show of speaking under her breath and moving her wand while she used her other hand to drive the water back until it crashed into Blaise and knocked him off his feat.

_Can we get him dry, Harry?_

_Good idea. On three?_

It hadn't occurred to Harry why she ran from the water, but as he helped her cast a standard drying spell at the Slytherin, he remembered. Their spells were far more effective with the two of them casting and Blaise was dry in seconds.

But the damage had been done.

All four of the DA leaders were now attacking with water and while Hermione could hold it back using her wand and a lot of concentration, and Ginny was evaporating it as fast as she could (still hampered by using her wand), they were loosing. The two girls could only focus on the water rather than the fight while they held it back, but that allowed the DA leaders to surround them.

In a risky move, Ron darted forwards into the wall of water that surrounded them. He had cast a bubblehead charm to let him breathe and when he came out of the water he stood in front of Luna. With a dancing twist, Ron snatched the edge of her flag and pulled it with him into the wave she was helping to conjure.

Luna didn't have time to react and cancel her spell, because she hadn't seen Ron through the gushing water until he was too close.

Harry copied Ron's tactic and he re-entered the circle with Neville's flag five minutes after he left it, having duelled his fellow Gryffindor in a fast-paced match until he had taken Neville by surprise. Neville had stepped back and discovered that there was only air beneath his foot. Harry had driven him to the edge of the stage and although the students caught him as he fell, Harry pulled the flag from around his arm.

Neville saluted Harry as he went to sit with Luna and watch the end of the match.

Draco and Blaise had been waiting for Harry to leave the circle. They had cast a charm on the water so that it would renew itself: acting as a barrier now, rather than a moving entity. When they reached the centre of the flooded area, the girls were taken by surprise and backed up until they were almost touching the water while Ron tried to hold off both Slytherins with spells that he knew would be less effective than the ones his instincts screamed at him to use.

In the end, Ginny threw heat into the water: far more than could have been conjured with a wand, and she evaporated it all in an instant. It wasn't like Hermione's earlier slip, which had been possible, but more time-consuming with a wand. Ginny had cheated and so as mist surrounded them all, Ginny let her flag fall.

_Sorry Harry._

_Don't be; you needed to get rid of the water, and you can't defend against it like Hermione can._

_Still, I wanted to stay in the fight._

_Once they know we're Chosen, we can show them what we've learnt._

Ginny smiled at Harry as she sat with Luna and was shocked when Hermione appeared a moment later.

"Who got to you?" Ginny asked.

"I didn't see him. I forgot that you and Harry weren't still circling." Hermione blushed.

"He got you from behind." Neville nodded in understanding.

When the mist cleared, Ron and Blaise were duelling so fast that their wands were blurred and they seemed to be using one long incantation rather than the dozens of spells that made up their words.

The crowd were screaming for their favourites and they shouted and laughed in all the right places.

Ron and Blaise managed an unexpected draw. Ron created a patch of ice beneath their feet and although Blaise kept his balance, Ron had grasped his flag and started to pull. In doing so, Ron and brought his own silver flag close enough that Blaise clutched it and pulled hard. The two flags gave at almost the same second and both grinned at the other when they noticed what had happened.

That left Harry and Draco fighting alone.

Rather than using a variety of spells, they had used their wands to conjure toy swords. The scene they made using primary coloured 'blades' should have been funny, but it was clear to the audience that they were using them with the skill needed for a real weapon. The sword fight would have been a bloody mess if it had been real, but the toy swords left a coloured powder when they 'cut' someone and so they marked the progress of the duel.

For almost twenty minutes, Harry and Draco's battle raged. They used more and more outlandish moves that would have hurt them too much in a real fight. They paced back and forth along the dais and they were both covered almost head-to-foot in powder. Harry in green, and Draco in red.

It was on a gamble that the fight came to an end. Draco forced a hand through his hair, pushing it out of his eyes as he circled. Harry was darting to the side and he lunged forwards, faster than Draco could counter. Draco spun to the side and used both hands to lock his blade with Harry's and to force them down. Using both hands on the sword, Draco managed to rip the blade from Harry's grasp and sent it clattering away across the floor.

Panting hard he looked back to the defeated Gryffindor, and saw Harry holding a black square of cloth in his hand.

For a moment it made no sense, until finally Draco remembered the flag rule and looked down at his bare arm. He had won the swordfight but lost the 'war'. Draco laughed, and the deafening cheers of the crowd swallowed the sound.


	33. Last Night?

Hello all! This is sort of a mini-update in that I've run out of time to write the chapter this one should have been. Sorry, that doesn't make too much sense, does it? Um… the thing is, I'm having an insane few months… but it should be over soon (I hope) and then my updates will be longer and faster! For now, I'm afraid this is all I have…

**MsExistential** – Thanks for the review!

**Miss Millie** – Hi there, hope you got my message! I'm happy to say that I am still alive, and here's an update to prove it! Hope you (and your daughter) enjoy it!

**David Fishwick** – Thank you so much! I am sorry about the length of time between posts, but hopefully it won't be that way for much longer.

**Chrissy **– Hi there! I've missed getting messages from you! (See, that's what happens when I don't update!) How've you been? Also, if you need to talk, I'd always love to hear from you.

**I Love Ginerva** – Hiya! You know, that sword fight was one of my favourite parts too. Glad you liked it!

**Powerhungry** – Thank you so much!

**Hawkeye1958 **– Hello! – I … wait… hang on a sec! Please, PLEASE tell me that this is not the first update since July?!? Oh my God, how do you put up with me?

**Prongs** – Thank you so much for the wonderful review. What kind of fight would you like to see? If it fits with the plot, I'm always willing to give it a go.

**maricam25** – Again thank you for such a lovely review! I'm glad you're enjoying the (admittedly slightly warped) logic of Wings so much! Hermione can control Water just like Ginny and Fire or Harry and Earth… so long as she has the time to concentrate, that it! Sneaking up behind her and dropping a bucket of water on her would still work. I really am sorry for the wait.

**Goodygurl **– Thank you so much for your review! That last chapter got so many good reviews, so thank you for yours! I'm really happy that you like the way their new powers work, and how they're learning to work with them! It'll probably be in the next chapter that we get to see their first real fight against the Deatheaters, so there'll be lots of power then!

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Hermione moved back (as requested) to give her boyfriend room, and then watched Ron struggle to right the portrait sized piece of canvas that they had hung on the wall of the Chosen's private common room, knowing better than to offer to help. Ron was too proud of his creation to let it leave his hands at the moment. He would ask for her if he needed her, and she was happy to let him.

There had been a few interesting moments while the two of them had been trying to smuggle the neatly wrapped package through the Gryffindor common room without attracting too much attention, but they had made it through eventually. Harry and Ginny were supposed to have met them at the Headmaster's office that morning, but Hermione suspected they would remember their plans and appear hastily-dressed and still half-sleeping from their room at any moment now.

When she and Ron actually got to the almost empty common room, all in all, they had the feeling that they could have done anything that morning and the school would have been too dazed to notice. The fight between the Chosen and the DA had lasted… maybe half an hour at most, but the resulting party hadn't even begun to lessen in intensity until well after midnight. The Gryffindors (the few of them that were awake) were a rather bedraggled and happily grinning lot that morning, most pausing to either glare at or congratulate the two Chosen as they passed, depending on which side that particular student had chosen to support. There were a lot of students finding themselves either suddenly richer, or suddenly not in the best of moods that morning and Hermione smiled at them all as she passed.

She was idly replaying the fight from the day before in her mind, and the memory of it all was enough to keep her cheerful. Hermione was still finding wonder and enjoyment in every new stage of their becoming Chosen, and the power she had found over water (which was even more potent now that she had Moonlight to encourage it) brought her sheer joy. She was certain that Ron felt the same about Air, and she made a mental note to ask for a closer look at his wings later. Hermione hadn't really seen him in that moment by the lake; her thoughts had been coming slower because reality seemed to have been moving twice as fast as normal, and she'd found herself diving after Harry rather than marvelling at Ron. Thinking of what that smooth transition from feathers to his highly toned and increasingly muscled back might look like brought an altogether different smile from the brunette.

While his hands were occupied with the canvas, Ron let his mind drift and found himself wondering how much longer it would be before the school worked out what had happened to himself and the others… or if they would end up telling the story for the ones that hadn't been brought up on bedtime stories of what Hogwarts' Chosen few had achieved against the evils they faced. Ron hoped that their story might fit in with the other fairy-tales that had filled his evenings when he was growing up, and he helped Hermione balance the canvas as he smiled over at the far-away look in her eyes.

The rational side of him was almost scared at the castle finding out what had happened to them. For the most part, the changes to them had not gone unnoticed by the school, but they had been explained away by the blanket excuse of 'training'. Their year-mates had seen the far-reaching effects of said 'training' and the DA… well, the leaders of the DA (the ones that didn't know already) were fast approaching the truth. But once that news broke out amongst the school, it would be all over the country in days. For the first time, the fate of the world would be openly on their shoulders. The world could judge them as it saw fit. What if they weren't good enough? Moreover, what if it didn't matter how good they were… what if the fight was already lost?

Once they had managed to attach the canvas to the wall (which would have been a lot easier with Harry's Earth element on their side, since the wards placed on the castle eons ago didn't quite seem to understand what it was the two Chosen were hanging on their wall and they weren't sure they liked the feel of it, thank-you –very-much!) Ron watched Hermione help the wards settle into the feel of so much of their magic pressed against them, and he felt the moment the wards understood what the purpose of that 'portrait' was and felt their interest as they accepted the fabric against the stone of the wall.

"Not bad for a morning's work?" Ron asked through a yawn as he stretched and then retreated to one of their lilac sofas. Dark thoughts weren't helping anyone and so he made the effort to cheer himself up for her.

"Hmm?" Hermione was watching the blank expanse of the coverings he had placed over the canvas. "No, I suppose not. 'Morning' might be a bit of a stretch though." She teased as she ambled over to the seat next to him.

"I still can't believe you have a tail" He grinned impishly at his siren.

"You have wings." She returned.

"Well… yes, but I never thought… I mean wings could be possible; transfiguration or something… but growing a tail because you get wet?"

"I know; this year has been full of impossible things."

"And it's not over yet." His eyes were distant as he spoke. Ron knew that Harry was going to be leading the Chosen to their first fight together very soon now. From the picture that their map created of England, they were sorely needed.

They were interrupted a few moments later when the door to Harry and Ginny's room opened and a rather sleep-deprived and dishevelled looking Draco Malfoy stumbled out into their private common room.

Draco was using one hand to both carry his crumpled jacket and to try and smooth the creases from his shirt, while the other hand was being raked through his hair as he slowly took in his surroundings.

"Lord and Lady Slytherin please tell me I'm not where I think I am." Draco squeezed his eyes closed as he sent his prayer to the heavens… or wherever, he mused with a smirk.

"Well now," Harry eased his way past the poor lost Slytherin. "That would depend entirely on where you think you are."

Draco eyed Harry with apparent suspicion and malice, but there was humour hidden in the glint of his eyes.

"And how, might I ask, did we end up…here?" Draco paused to form another theatrical wince. "In what I can only assume to be Gryffindor Tower."

"Well, I seem to remember something about… a spell?" Harry's face grew more serious as he reached for memories that were hazy at best.

"It wasn't just a spell." Ginny propped herself against the doorway as she entered the conversation, still bleary eyed with sleep and pulling one of the straps of her nightgown back into place.

"It wasn't?" Draco turned to her as his expression slid towards truth rather than the mask.

"No, you and Harry were… fighting." She informed them.

"Fighting?" Harry sounded incredulous.

"Flirting." Draco agreed with Harry's unspoken assumption. Especially when regarding Ginny's rather suggestive state of dress, the way that Harry's shirt was artfully ripped, and the fact that his own trousers which had clearly begun the night as part of his school uniform now seemed to be made of leather.

"Yes. And then…" Ginny trailed off as her memory faded slightly under a wave of tiredness.

"This was in the Room of Requirement, wasn't it?" Draco's eyes widened slightly as he connected fragments from the previous evening.

"It started there and then… you said something… a challenge." Harry muttered around a yawn.

It wasn't surprising that everyone was so exhausted; they had been using enough magic yesterday that the tiredness was natural.

"A challenge? Did I?" Draco mused.

"Wasn't it… wasn't there something about the-" Ginny's train of thought was cut short by a screech from the other side of the entrance to their common room.

"Good morning to you too Lavender." Ron grinned openly as the three bemused residents of the room not currently occupying the sofa finally realised that they had an audience.

"Ah." Was all Draco could muster.

Hermione acidly arched her eyebrows at him. "Interesting night?" She pondered with an angelic look of innocence.

"That seems to be the question, actually." Draco returned.

"Well we clearly did _something_." Harry sighed, and then saw the half-nauseas look on Ron's face and thought back over his words. "Not _something_ something, I just meant… we must have…"

"You think your game had something to do with Lavender and …" Ginny paused to try and pick out any individual voices through the racket that was pouring through the walls. "The rest of the tower, making that much fuss?"

"Why not just go and see?" Hermione interjected. There had been nothing wrong with the common room when she and Ron had passed through it a few minutes ago. How much could have changed since then? She was also feeling devilishly sure that none of the three students involved in Hogwarts' most scandalous love triangle had realised what the effect of all three of them proceeding into the Gryffindor common room might be.

"It was on a delayed release." Draco remembered mumbling the words of the spell under his breath, it was one of the seemingly pointless spells he'd learnt as a child: you cast the first spell to levitate a chair or to transfigure a hairbrush into a rat, and then you said the second spell; the delay spell. After that, your original spell only took effect when the conditions of the delay were met; someone sat in the chair, someone picked up the hairbrush, or when all three of the perpetrators were awake enough to view their creation.

_I think I just remembered what we did._ Ginny whispered into the back of Harry's mind.

_Could you give me a hint?_ Harry mindlessly followed Hermione and Ron towards the Gryffindor common room.

_Well, I remember finding a way to get the fire to burn –_

…_Upside down?_

Harry suddenly knew what they would find. A glance back at a suddenly wide-eyed and snickering Draco in their precession only confirmed his suspicions.

Harry looked from one of his accomplices to the other and let his glee shine wickedly through his emerald green eyes.

The sight that met them in the common room was one of barely contained panic along with hastily stifled amusement.

"Oh…" Hermione's eyes drank in the sight as she only half noticed Ron erupt into laughter at her side.

The entire common room; chairs, tables, rugs, quills, papers, even the students who had been in the room were now attached to the ceiling. The entire room was perfectly in place, just with everything looking as though gravity had reversed. Even the fire (the fireplace being built into the wall could not have been moved) was burning cheerily in it's grate, but as though up was down, and so the logs fuelling the flames were at the top of the grate and the flames flickered towards the bottom.

"N-Neville?" Harry called as he controlled a grin of satisfaction.

"Harry?!" Neville tried to move his hair out of his way so that he could see the floor… err ceiling? But gravity was working against him now and he craned his neck to try and catch a glimpse of the students who had escaped his current predicament, but it was no use. He could see everyone that was attached to the ceiling with him, but that was all.

"Are you alright up there?" Ginny called to their friend, sounding suddenly concerned.

"I… well, nobody's hurt." Lavender had also been caught in the spell and she gingerly pulled one foot off their new 'floor' and placed it in front of her. Holding her breath, she moved forwards a step and almost melted with relief when she didn't fall.

She ran over to Neville, who (once he realised movement was possible) was heading for a group of three terrified first years via some second and third years who thought the whole thing was fantastic.

"Do you have any idea what happened?" This was called from one of the braver fourth years as she reached out for a third year's hand as he passed. The two gripped onto each other as though their life depended on it and they shared a somewhat embarrassed grin as they too moved to Neville's group.

"We'll work something out!" Lavender promised then all. She looked across at Neville who was now hurriedly muttering spell after spell with nothing taking effect. She tried a half-hearted "finite incantatem" but was unsurprised when it did nothing: whatever this was, it wasn't the type of magic Hogwarts taught.

"Brooms." Draco drawled lazily from where he had seated himself against the cold stone of the common room walls, legs splayed carelessly before him.

"What?" A fourth year asked.

"Why don't you get some brooms and see if you can help them?" Draco fixed the boy with his most icy stare and used a tone conveying such liberal amounts of sarcasm that the boy had no idea what to do. Eventually the startled boy turned to do his bidding.

It was the girl standing behind the boy whom Draco was not prepared for.

_Oh god!_

_Gin?_

_Draco! He's here!_

_Well we did ask him to follow us- oh. Oh! Oh God and that's-_

_Bridget; she'll scream the moment she sees him_ (The girl's crush on the Malfoy heir was legendary)

There was a strangled "MMPH!" as said girl was cut off by a hastily sent silencing spell, and Harry and Ginny appeared almost instantly at Draco's side.

"Hi" Harry gave a nonchalant wave as he too slid down the wall and adopted Draco's sprawled-out stance.

"Don't mind me" Ginny winked at the rather bemused Slytherin who finally seemed to be waking up enough to understand his situation. Ginny curled herself against his left side while Harry leant on his right.

There was altogether more skin contact than Draco would have expected… but the warmth of power echoing through the three of them wasn't exactly unwelcome.

"We're not running?" Draco painted a lecherous expression onto his face as he whispered his question to Harry. Normally this would be the time to hide his presence and try to sneak out of the room. But then that was the Slytherin way of doing things, and he wasn't amongst Slytherins today.

"Not today, lover." Harry purred back. He knew what Draco needed from them, he knew the ripples that the scandal had to cause… but ripples had to be started and today was as good of a chance as they were likely to get for a while.

Ginny listened for a moment to Harry's mental explination of what he wanted, and then she trailed a finger down Draco's chest, drawing his attention to her. "You see, since we all look like we felt lonely last night, we have a beautifully sordid alibi all ready for us with just a bit of suggestion to move it along."

Draco Malfoy was (and Slytherin forgive him for it) really starting to love those two Gryffindors of his.

And so it was that when the silencing charm faded from Bridget, the surrounding crowd of Gryffindors were deafened by the screech that emanated from her and turned to see Harry and Ginny leaning across Draco to kiss before Harry pulled back from his girl and stood. After a moment spent appreciating the sight of her hair spilling across Draco's pristinely shirted chest, he bent to take her hand, pulling his girlfriend to her feet and then offered a hand to the luscious Prince of Slytherin who was waiting for his own invitation to play. The resulting wave of gasps, shouts and screams that formed the increasingly loud reaction to the sight created by the three was ignored by them as they crossed to the portrait hole. They had purposefully kept their display at a kiss and nothing more because their state of dress was more than enough to suggest the rest. And there had been impressionable young minds present.

Once they were outside the common room, Draco bid the two of them good day with a laugh and he made his way down to the dungeons and to Severus, who needed to be informed before he heard the rumours. The whole point of the ruse between himself and Harry 'destined to save the whole damned world' Potter, well the point that was the most important to Draco right now, was that when the news of the relationship reached his dear father (which it invariably would) it would drive a wedge between them. Draco was hoping that it would be the last wedge, the last straw, and Lucius would give up on his son. Draco had been so keen on including Ginny in the plot because she would add the one thing that his 'relationship' with Harry lacked: the possibility of an Heir.

Lucius might now hate his son, he might want Draco maimed rather than see him with Harry Potter… but now that there was a pureblood witch in the mix (even if she was a Weasley) there would be nothing his father could do when it came to Draco's inheritance. Narcissa's mother had told him long ago that there were set terms of inheritance for all things within the Malfoy Estate: Draco could not be disowned unless his life choices prevented him from producing a Malfoy heir. He could wake up one morning and announce to his family that he was madly in love with… with… Crabbe or hell, with Severus, or even Harry Potter and as long as he found a way to create one more Malfoy before running away with his now-found lover, he would still inherit. Even in his wildest dreams, Draco had never imagined the 'necessarily male and therefore suitably shocking boyfriend' role in his plan to be played by Harry, but this year it seemed that impossible things were happening around every corner.

It would also be helpful to Severus if he could be the one to inform Lucius in vivid detail of what his 'wayward' son was doing with his time away at school. The Dark Lord might see Lucius's control waver and if that happened, Severus would be there to take the vacated place at his Lord's side.

Of course he was now going to have to spend his afternoon with Severus quietly poking fun at him for having 'come out' in quite such a spectacular display.

Sooner or later he was going to have to find himself a nice witch to settle down with. It would be worth it just to put an end to the almost hysterical laughter he could picture Severus succumbing to when Draco told him about his visit to Gryffindor Tower. It was a pity that Ginny was taken and that Hermione wasn't a pureblood. Hermione would have been perfect except that Weasley had finally figured out that he loved her. Ginny would be a challenge, but even Draco had to admit that she and Harry were meant to be together.

Of course that was only two who were taken… he would have to watch the crowd far more carefully at the next DA meeting.


	34. Glitter

Hello all!

As usual I have the distinct feeling that my chapter is long overdue, so I hope that you'll forgive me for taking so long. In case anyone was wondering what the hold up had been this time, I have only one word for you: Dissertation. If you've encountered one yourself (or merely heard the horror-stories) I'm sure you can relate to precisely how much fun I had working on mine! If you can imagine the amount of fun you'd have transcribing two hundred pages of conversation, that's as near as damn it to how I've been spending my time! On the upside, it's over now! And I can sleep again! Although only for a few days, because as though that weren't enough (and apparently it isn't) I have exams to revise for as well! Third year at Uni is serious business all of a sudden!

But as far as Wings goes, revision will always mean procrastination and so I finally got around to finishing the chapter! Which is, coincidently, NOT the chapter I thought I would be writing, but a sort of plot-bunny chapter that I had to write in its place. Seeing as The plot-bunnies own , who was I to refuse one? haha

On to the reviews, as I think it's time I stopped rambling!

Robotech001 – I'm very glad you enjoyed it!

Eragonsarmy – Oh brilliant, do you? It's always nice to hear from another Tamora Pierce fan! Who do you prefer: Alanna or Daine? Or Kel, I suppose? It cheered me up to imagine Hermione reading the books, and I figured, why not? hehe

Magikmaster02 – I'm really glad that you're enjoying Wings so much but I'm sorry to say that there are no NEW powers in this chapter… but there IS a rather spectacularly unexpected use of existing power.

Ghostchicken – Thank you so much for that brilliant review! The "triangle" has been the most fun thing to write for me so far, so it's great that you've enjoyed reading it seeing as it could be a bit of a tangent! Personally I love the way they're all acting up for the rumours, it makes me smile each time I picture it! I'm glad that you agree with my choices for the elements, I've read stories where Harry more Fire or Hermione leaning towards Earth, but this way seemed less… out of character (if that's at ALL possible in a superpowered fic!) to me. Hehehe also – anything you find hot, I take as an immense compliment! Give me a shout if you have any requests and I'll see if I can work something in! Hope to hear from you again soon!

Glennscm – I hope you like the new chapter as well!

Dare-deviless – You'd like more action? Well… Trust me: give it a chapter or two. Great to hear from you, and I hope you like the new chapter.

Toghgal – Hello again! It's so nice to hear from you! Thank you so much for your comments and I hope that this chapter wasn't too much of a wait. (Though it really was a long wait… I'll try to be faster next time)

Chrissy – Hiya! You're right! I do get crazier and crazier… but I can't seem to stop, so you'll just have to think crazy thoughts with me, I suppose! I'm really glad to hear that things are going better and I hope this chapter makes you smile! (p.s. I may well be having a blonde moment, but I couldn't see an email / i.m link for you… sorry about that: feel free to use mine, it's on my profile page thingie if you log in)

Maricam25 – Hello! Great to hear from you! Ahh, now I seem to have confused a few people there... which part is it that was confusing? I could always re-write/ explain.

Theo3983 – OOC Draco? Yeah, I'd definitely have to agree with you there! As for more Harry and Ginny, that I can most definitely do… anything you'd like written specifically? I'm open to requests!

kats24 – Oh, Brilliant! I'm so glad that you liked it! I mentioned this above, but it's my favourite thing to write at the moment! I really hope you like the new chapter as well!

David Fishwick – Hello again, and thank you for the review. I'm sorry it's been such a long wait, but here's the new chapter!

Hawkeye1958 – Okay… not quite as 'by the end of the week' as I'd hoped… but… forgive me? I hope you like it! Hehe It's always wonderful to hear from you!

Goodygurl – There's been a lot of nice things said about my Harry/Draco/Ginny vibe and I'm really flattered by all of it, so I'm very happy that you like it too! And I might have to think up some excuses to write more between the three! Hehe

And here's the chapter:

………………………………………………………………………………

For Harry, there was a lot to consider. It should have been a serious day, one that contained some in-depth strategy discussed between the Chosen. One that prepared the four of them to mount their very first attack against Tom and his Deatheaters. It should have gone that way: it should have been the first spark of light; of resistance in a world losing fast to the darkness. But, of course, things were never that easy.

He still couldn't remember precisely what Ginny, Draco and himself had done the night before. He remembered the three of them casting spell after spell to force the Gryffindor Common Room into it's current predicament, and yet he couldn't remember the words they had used, or the way the three had blended their spells together… which was why, if anyone asked, he had no idea of how to reverse their effects.

Harry felt himself losing his plans for the day to the growing insanity he had caused in the common room. He sighed and rubbed at his eyes as his mind strayed to his Slytherin Prince. Draco was spectacular; there was no doubt of that. He was pushing at his father skilfully, or he had been before Harry became involved. Since their relationship was 'discovered' and then when Ginny's involvement came to light… Harry would have to hope Lucius gave up on his son soon or the three of them would be exhausted. (He shuddered to think what Draco had dreamed up for the next stage of their plan, should they need one… even though he admitted to himself that he was excited to see what it would be)

In all fairness, three of the chosen could have reversed the state of the common room alone, and any combination working together would have managed. He wasn't sure that Ginny could have turned things right-side-up alone, but then she did like to surprise him, so perhaps she could do so as well. It didn't matter at the moment.

Harry had once again imitated Draco's careless sprawl and he braced himself against the wall of the common room and looked over the pandemonium before him. Neville and Lavender seemed to have everything under control as far as the ceiling-based students were concerned. They were now amassed in the centre of the room and trying to see what was happening below. Neville and Lavender were trying to simultaneously calm the students with them, even as they sounded out theories as to what the others were planning. It was the rest of Gryffindor Tower that was causing the noise as they tried to decide who should try to fly to the trapped students.

His fingers itched for a broom: he hadn't flown much that year. Seeking was from another life; back when he was Harry Potter: The Boy Who Lived and not Harry: the one who just so happened to have been Chosen. He smiled to himself as he let his memories rise to the surface. He would never regret the path that had made him the man he was today. He would not turn from the chances that had lead his personality into developing as it had. He would not change anything that might deprive him of his friends and their being Chosen together… but he wanted to reverse the spell even as he knew he would not.

Call it a test. Draco would. Harry let them figure it out for themselves. Let the Gryffindor DA assemble and disperse all non-DA students. Harry drew darkness (well, Shadow) around himself to hide from their eyes as he watched them.

Parvati was the one who grew bored with the debates. She grabbed a broom from a fifth-year, sending the boy an apologetic look as she did, and she mounted the broom swiftly. Her ascent was slow and controlled as the rest of the DA fell into a hush below her. She smiled down at them, knowing that each was perfectly capable of doing what she had done, but they lacked the initiative somehow. Perhaps that was why the DA needed it's leaders so badly. Some didn't like the notion of being lead and ordered, but the DA worked best that way and they always would. She supposed that was why the Dark Lord was so powerful: people wanted to follow him.

She was starting to suspect… not that she would ever say anything… not that the Headmaster would ever do such a thing officially… but… post owls were becoming a little more rare at Hogwarts. As though there was a hint that the post itself should become a little more rare. Most of the older students did seem to be taking that subtle hint: writing home slightly less often, or keeping their comments just a little more vague than usual. It could be seen more in certain houses… but any missive from the outside world that was considered dark by the Headmaster didn't seem to be getting through to it's intended recipient easily. Dumbledore wasn't stopping contact: that would be against the man's morals, but… he seemed to be attempting to make it difficult. Hogwarts itself seemed to hold more than one secret these days. The DA for example … it wasn't supposed to be a secret, not any more… and yet it looked as though it was becoming one. The fact that Draco Malfoy was leading them was definitely a secret, and whatever Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny had gone through that year… no one could begin to guess.

The inversion took her by surprise. She was still distracted by her thoughts when it hit her. One moment she was rising steadily and then the momentum switched and she was now upside-down. Her feet pointing towards the ceiling and her continued rising would take her back to the floor… or worse, she would be stuck at the point where the room's gravity switched. With a gasp, she sent the broom into a dive and moments later she hit the ceiling on her hands and knees.

"Thank God." Parvati sighed as she let the broom clatter to the floo- to the ceiling.

"Hey." Neville looked over with a smile

"That was brilliant!" Lavender hurried to her friend.

"Fantastic!"

"Parvati! Amazing!"

The sounds blurred together from below.

"You have to watch… be careful when you get to the middle; dive when you get to the switch!" She called to the handful of students now mounting their own brooms far away, back on the floor.

"Is everyone alright up here?" Parvati turned to her friends

"We're fine, aren't we?" Lavender looked to the small gaggle of students now clustered around the three older DA members.

It only took a minute more for the students to set up a ferrying system to get everyone down again.

Gryffindor recruited some if it's best fliers for the job (those they could locate, at least) but none were confident they could fly past the change in gravity and keep someone else on the broom with them. Resolutely they constructed a ladder of students on brooms. They had tried summoning brooms to the ceiling, and also tried levitating the students down, but it seemed that once you were on the ceiling, you had to get down manually. It took twenty students to form the 'stairs' so that each of the trapped ones could be passed safely from one set of hands to another; across the lines of perfectly stationary brooms that hovered in a neat row across the room.

Once everyone had their feet firmly on the ground again, Neville proclaimed that they'd deal with the common room after dinner that evening: it could stay as it was for now. The common room emptied quickly after the decision was made; people rushing to tell the story to friends or to be the first to break the news to the other houses.

Neville, Lavender and Parvati were the only ones left in the common room.

"Great start to the day" Lavender commented with a laugh.

"Woke me up, at least" Parvati giggled in reply.

"Well… do you have any clue how to put the common room back?" Neville asked as the three of them craned their necks to get a better look at the ceiling.

"We tried everything sensible" Lavender sighed. "We could ask a teacher, I suppose?"

"Seems silly when we all know who did this." Neville yawned as he gestured at the chairs and tables futilely.

"W-We do?" Parvati turned to Neville.

"Who else could have?" Neville said half in exasperation and half in amusement.

"Question is: did Harry do it on purpose?" Lavender added thoughtfully.

"I resent that." Harry commented, having dropped his Shadows a few minutes before. "It wasn't only me."

The three Gryffindor students jumped visibly and then rounded on Harry.

"You were involved then?" Neville grinned.

"How?" Parvati asked.

"How did you do…" Lavender searched for the words that would do the Common Room justice. "…this?"

"I told you, I had help." Harry shrugged and pulled himself to his feet.

He was playing a waiting game with the gossip at Hogwarts and although there were several colourful and wild theories about him, the right story had not been discussed yet. Hogwarts did not know that there were Chosen among them. Of course, once the Chosen began their attacks then all of England would probably guess. Harry supposed he was in the calm before the storm… or possibly the last inch of a cliff before it gave way into nothing.

"Half the teachers?" Lavender joked as Harry joined their group.

"It was Ginny and-" Harry saw her arch her eyebrows at him. "- Draco."

"Really?" Parvati joined the conversation smoothly "And what was Malfoy doing in here?"

"Oh no. No. I'm not answering any questions about him." Harry back-pedalled slightly as he saw the gleam of light held in the eyes of both girls.

"Oh, we think it's about time that you did." Parvati advanced upon him as Harry continued to back away.

"Neville, why don't we-" Harry tried.

"Stay out of this Neville." Lavender advised with an all-too-innocent smile. She turned back to Harry just at the right moment to see his back hit the wall. "We've been good so far; not asking the wrong questions. We haven't looked into the changes in you, haven't commented when you've done things like this. We've downplayed everything to the other houses; they still think you're a normally powerful wizard."

"And not just you: Ron and Hermione and Ginny as well… Gryffindor has been hiding the four of you and that's mostly because we aren't asking you any awkward questions." Parvati continued.

"But just once, just once Harry Potter, we want some answers." Lavender met his eyes with a level gaze and Harry decided that she was right. They were avoiding the bigger issue, and it wouldn't kill him to answer some of their smaller questions.

"W-What would you like to know?" Harry sighed.

For an instant both girls were silent as Harry's answer made it through their expectations of refusal.

"Really?" Parvati shot him a shrewd glance.

"Yeah, really." Harry smiled for her. "You get one question that I'll answer completely truthfully."

"Only one question?" Lavender turned to her friends. "Better make it a good one."

It was Neville that grinned wickedly and pulled Lavender closer so he could whisper into her ear.

"All right then," Lavender conferred with Parvati before she asked. "Harry: have you really, honestly, slept with Draco Malfoy?"

Harry thanked Neville mentally for the loophole in the question. Draco and Neville and the rest of the Chosen would all be equally relieved that it was there.

Harry beckoned the two girls closer, letting them look deeply into his eyes and try to fathom the expression there.

"Yes." He told them with perfect certainty. Both girls went wide-eyed at the images playing out in their minds and Harry winked at Neville.

Neville bit back a laugh and ushered Hogwarts' best gossips towards the rest of the castle. It was almost time for lunch, but there was always the library if they were too desperate to wait for a crowd of attentive ears to assemble in the great hall.

Once Harry and Neville were alone, Neville resumed pondering the ceiling.

"You say you did that? The group of you?" Neville cast a sideways glance at Harry, who had once more slumped to the floor.

"Yeah, we did." Harry mumbled through a yawn.

"Can you un-do it?"

"Well… probably." There was nothing to be gained, Harry supposed, from leaving the chairs where they were.

_Are you awake, Gin?_

_Me? Of course … Why wouldn't I be?_ Harry could hear her try and stifle the yawn which accompanied her mental voice.

_Because I'm exhausted. _He admitted.

_Poor thing…that was a lot of power we called last night_

_Mmm … it really was, Gin. Only I think we need some more: someone has to sort out the common room and I think we scared Draco off a while ago._

_Oh, right! Yes, of course. We'll be there is a second._

"Well… will you?" Neville was trying no to sound too amused or too irritated because he wasn't entirely sure how a responsible DA leader should be handling the situation… but he didn't want to let Harry down.

"I-" Harry reached for the power within himself and found it sluggish and waning. How could he be so weak today? Yes he had used power the day before, but not more than he had used on several other occasions, and it hadn't left him as weak as this before.

"Harry!" Hermione appeared in his eye line and offered him a hand.

"Come on." Ron grasped his other hand and the two pulled their leader to his feet.

"Everything ok, Harry?" Hermione questioned.

"Sure…sure." He replied absently as he focused on his power.

When Ginny joined them, and laid a hand on Hermione's arm, power sparked through the group. Like the completion of a circuit: the moment the battery caused power to surge through the wires, they were alive again just by occupying the same space.

All four had been fighting lethargy since they'd awoken, and something as simple as physical contact had healed them of it? Being Chosen brought a lot of strange things into their lives, but this was, at least, one of the nicer discoveries that they had made.

"Did…um…" Neville flinched as Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny rounded on him. They had shifted slightly: centring their weight and bracing themselves for action. (Not wearing their armour, of course, but ready to call it if the thing that had drawn their attention turned out to be dangerous)

"Sorry Neville." Ginny blinked as she recognised the 'threat.'

"Can we help?" Hermione asked.

Neville gestured to the ceiling, prompting their memory.

"Oh! Right!" Ginny blushed. She waved a hand at the fire and it flipped obediently back into it's former position in the grate.

Harry took a longer look at the ceiling and sighed. He walked backwards into the Shadows and then walked out of one that had been cast on the ceiling. Harry stared down at the others and he could hear the amusement in the tones they used.

"I can send the furniture down" Harry took stock of what was with him on the ceiling.

"Only that won't solve the problem…" Hermione trailed off as she examined the air in the common room: a funny thing to look at, but there was no visible sign to show where gravity would be reversed. Until she called on the small amount of Air that lay within her. Once she had done that, she could see the opalescent line drawn cleanly across the room.

"We need to undo the spell." Ron nodded at her, correctly guessing what held her transfixed.

"Did you anchor it to anything? The walls, or the ceiling?" Hermione asked Harry and Ginny.

The pair in question shot a perplexed glance at each other.

_Did we, Gin?_

_Well… perhaps?_

_Draco could have?_

"I … don't think so?" Ginny bit her lip.

"I say we break it, in that case. Overload the whole thing." Ron commented as he looked up.

"It won't hurt anything, I suppose…" She smiled and held out a hand towards the shimmering air.

Ron imitated her posture and threw the renewed power within him towards the light, feeling Hermione do the same at his side. There were a lot of more elegant ways to solve the problem, but this was the easiest.

There were a series of thumps as Harry's furniture hit the floor: pulled like magnets by the shadows Harry ordered them towards. It was the same trick he's used to move the furniture in the first place. He, Ginny and Draco had then worked for the better part of an hour to get the spell hanging in the air properly. The method behind it all had been simple: Harry ordered the change in gravity to happen while Draco shaped the spell to hold it and Ginny fuelled the whole thing. Reversing it was more complicated because that wasn't the neat orderly type of spell that was made with reversal in mind, and so attempting to change it was… messy.

There was a slight humming coming from somewhere overhead as Ron and Hermione began to overload the spell and it grew into a steady whine as they added more power. By the time Neville and Ginny had to cover their ears, it was a piercing shriek of a noise, and Harry was considering throwing his own power into the mix when finally it shattered.

When Neville uncovered his ears, he took one shocked look at the room and dashed through the portrait hall as he smothered a laugh: someone else (as many 'someone's as he could round up, ideally) needed to see this.

There ware actual shards of the spell: visible crystal pieces that rained down on them. It was an odd side effect for any spell to have. The kind of glorious accident which was far more likely to result from an experiment in potions than any other kind of spell work, and yet it seemed that the unlikely triumvirate formed the night before had managed it even so. The spell-bubbles or crystals or shards, whatever the proper term might be, were milky white in colour but with rainbows dancing across them wherever the light hit. Some were larger than others; some was almost as big as Ron's hand and others spun delicately through the air like snowflakes.

They had all noticed the ring Hermione had acquired upon her return to human form, and the story of it's origin had made it to both Harry and Ron successfully, and yet it was in the hope that Hermione believed their ignorance that Harry looked at Ron for a long moment and then held out his hand for the spell-shard the redhead offered to him.

"Hermione?" Harry startled her as he broke the silence, which had descended as the group watched the glittering splinters of magic coat the common room and explore it's depths.

"Yes, Harry?" She turned and saw the other three occupants of the room were thoroughly coated in a shining later of the spell's glitter. It wasn't harming them but it gave everything a dreamlike feeling.

"Would you like this?" Harry offered the fragment to her.

Hermione took the glistening shard unthinkingly: mesmerised by the way it separated the light to cast rainbows across it's own surface.

"W-What for?" She worried her lip as she looked up at her Alpha. Hermione knew what Harry was suggesting, but she wasn't sure she was brave enough to put her past to rest.

"It would brighten the ring, don't you think?" Ron laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, watching her hair glisten with the remnants of the spell.

"If you're ready?" Harry coaxed.

"Well…" Was there any other stone she would choose? Was there anything she had ever planned to do to that god-forsaken ring which had once been a knife? No. Hermione knew the answer easily: there was nothing. Perhaps shedding some light on the ring would help to brighten the memory… or at least to make the scar of it less ugly.

Hermione smiled at the spell in her hand.

"You're sure?" Ron needed to be certain that he had not pushed her into this.

"Positive." Hermione's smile may have been a little forced, but the light in her eyes: the determination and the hope, was perfectly real.

Harry left the pair to their spell. Ron placed the fragment atop Hermione's silver ring and began to whisper words of staying and holding and warmth over Hermione's spell of joining and remembrance. Each phrase was important to her: they could both see the many-layered spell Hermione pictured, and Ron was able to craft his half as easily as if he had created it himself.

It was only when a group of Sixth Year's came back to the common room with Neville accompanying them, and looking very amused, that the Chosen noticed the state the common room was now in.

"Did something explode in here?" Dean laughed.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" Lavender bent to examine the spell-crystals and shards, without noticing the ones that were attached to her and settled happily (and rather permanently) in her hair.

Indeed over the next few days, Lavender spent most of her time coaxing the strange and wonderful crystals onto necklaces for those that asked where she had found her own. She also found that if her hair sparkled in the sunlight just a little too vehemently to be natural, most dismissed it as a trick of the light and she decided to let the shards settle there and take hold forever. (Or until they faded, began to look less and less likely as the weeks wore on) She didn't ask about the origin of the crystals, in fact nobody did, even Hermione was standing in the crowd looking just as perplexed as the rest of them. It was Hermione who had sparked the idea of jewellery in Lavender's mind, as she had already constructed a ring. Lavender found that no amount of trying could let her replicate Hermione's work, but the crystals seemed to like sliver and so they could be hung on a chain as a necklace or bracelet without too much trouble.

News of Gryffindor's now glitter-covered common room travelled through the school hot on the heels of the upside-down tale. In fact it was the proximity of the two rumours that caused many a student to disbelieve them entirely. Those few students who did venture through the portrait hole in time to see the spectacle were treated to a sight they could never do justice when passing the story on. There was a glimmering, iridescent coating to everything in the room and it seemed almost to have a will of it's own as it was drawn more to some objects and people than to others. The most popular theory was that it was some sort of fae enchantment which had wrought the sudden glorification of the room, and there was more than one whisper of a Goblin King's involvement as all the first years were hastily counted; just in case.


	35. Fire

I feel the need to apologise slightly here because this chapter has been a long time in coming, it's the one I have been trying to write for the last THREE chapters and so now that it's finally here I'm actually quite happy that it's over. Hehe!

…

Having said that… I have to wonder if anyone's noticed the word count for Wings at all? I have (but then I would care about daft things like that, being the author and all) and if my maths is right then THIS chapter will be the one to kick Wings over the edge and up into the 100,000 category and frankly I think that's fantastic! I don't mean to sound too big headed here, I just… I'm really proud to get into the category! So I'd like to say one MASSIVE thank you to every single one of you that has ever read or reviewed Wings because I never would have made it to that kind of spectacular word count without a lot of support!

As for my specific comments, on to the reviews!

Last of the Trifecta – I'm really very sorry for the wait on the chapters, I know it must be annoying as a reader, so I want to say thank you so much for waiting, it's really good of you. Particularly when there are so many other stories out there to read, the fact that you still look at my updates is wonderful.

Dare-deviless – well… if you want to be technical, then maybe not quite 'explosive' … but there is some action at last! Hope you like it! And thanks, as always, for your review!

Goodygurl – I'm really glad you like it! Actually the spell-shards do seem to have been a popular idea! … even if they were inspired by one too many viewings of Labyrinth!

DukeBrymin – Okay, this one IS the end of things but there will probably be a conversation or two about it in the next chapter. As for the attraction between Ginny and Draco, there is a reason for that… which I'm hoping will be clearer after reading this chapter, but it'll be explained soon too, so don't worry. Also, I hope you like the chapter!

Elliott – Hello there! It's really nice to hear from both sides of the argument here, so for you I have some slightly sad news: that the majority of the triangle is over with now (remember how it was for a specific purpose?) But I'm not done with Draco yet so he'll still be around, I promise!

Eragonsarmy – I love Daine and Numair! Actually I just started re-reading Wild Magic for about the millionth time … But it's all about 'Falling' for me too, so I can't wait to get up to book 4!

Chrissy – Hiya! Okay, so… I failed a little bit in replying to you (rather a lot actually) and I'm sorry about that, but as a peace offering I can show you why I haven't been around: enjoy the chapter hehehe!

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Ron had not been there to witness the entire show in the common room that day, in truth he didn't understand some of what had happened – the complex spell being broken down into glitter was still beyond him, but he had to admit that he'd been reduced to laughter by it all several times. Even the fact that the glitter-shards of the spell had attached themselves to Hermione's hair so thoroughly that she now matched Ginny's bright gold eyes, hair and nails with her own shining silver eyes and hair only improved his mood. The look of utter shock and indignation he found on his girlfriend's face as she tried (unsuccessfully) once more to charm the shards from her hair had been enough to bring tears of laughter to his eyes.

"Oh this wretched spell!" Hermione sighed at her hair.

"Wretched?" Ron grinned from behind her, despite the fact that his knowledge of spells had come on in leaps and bounds this year, he had no particular desire to echo Hermione's mastery of the more obscure words of the English Language despite the way she insisted her vocabulary made spell casting easier due to the larger amount of words available to form a spell.

"You know what I meant, Ron." She was still pulling at the strands coated in glitter that had woven themselves through the rest of her hair. "It won't be affected by magic, not the kind Hogwarts teaches or the kind we learnt from the founders."

"Did you try Water? And Air?" He tried to be supportive, but secretly he rather liked the added sparkle Hermione had been 'cursed' with by the spell.

"Nothing seems to grip it." She shrugged.

"Maybe you should ask Lavender? She seems to have some control over it." Ron sat on the end of the bed as he watched her pace their room.

"Lavender? Really?" Hermione listened absently to Ron's laughter as her mind worked through the implications of the statement. There had been something that had drawn her attention to Lavender recently, not in a strong way, just subtly… as though the other girl were kin of some sort. Hermione had thought nothing of it for the most part: what was there to consider? She had assumed that at most she would like to become a better friend to Lavender, which was slightly out of character for her usual self, but over the past school year everyone seemed to have changed so much that there was no use in worrying over one slightly unpredictable friendship in the face of all that was different.

It was getting late now, Hermione observed as she checked the clock she passed on her way to the common room. She and Ron had lost the thread of their conversation as she puzzled over Lavender and he mused about the spell shards, but they would have time later to catch up.

"Lavender?" Hermione found the other girl in the Gryffindor Common room surrounded by spell crystals of various sizes.

"Hmm?" Lavender's eyes were fixed on her work as she willed the pieces to lie where she wanted them.

"Lavender are you alright?" Hermione took a step closer to Lavender and as she did, the candlelight shifted and illuminated Lavender's hair, which suddenly glittered.

Hermione could not suppress the "Oh," of shock that escaped her.

"Can I … did someone…?" Lavender was half lost to the spell she was laying over the crystal shards and she seemed unaware that she was doing anything at all.

"Lavender?" Hermione knelt next to the other girl and hesitantly reached for a shard, which quivered happily beneath her touch and jumped obligingly into her palm. This time Hermione felt the underlying pull of power, it was subtle and harmonious and it was secretive: Moonlight.

The shards were Moonlight, which ought to have given Hermione power over them, but the moon itself was content to do as it would as far as she was considered: the Moon had claimed Hermione Granger as it's own and if it willed it's glow into her hair, then her hair would shine.

"Lavender didn't you tell me there was a mermaid in your family?" Hermione drew Lavender's hands away from the shards; hoping to allow her to think without the Moonlight's influence.

"What? Oh… Hermione? Yes, yes there's someone." Lavender frowned slightly as she tried to remember. "A Grandmother? Or Great-Grandmother, I think."

"What does the crystal feel like to you?" Hermione suspected that when the elements came to Hogwarts to choose their vassals, they might have woken a smaller gift in Lavender.

"They're warm and cool at the same time. Peaceful and soft, but there's fire here. And that smell… like the forest after dark. But the crystal is … is…"

"Like the moon?" Hermione smiled gently. Lavender was feeling Ginny's Fire and Harry's Earth and Darkness, but she felt the pull of the Moonlight beneath it all.

"Don't be silly; how can something feel like the moon?" Lavender tried to laugh, but she stilled.

"You tell me." Hermione moved across the empty common room until she reached the window from which the lake was visible. "Stand here, Lavender, and tell me you can't feel it."

Lavender did as Hermione asked. She couldn't understand what it was that compelled her to listen to Hermione… or why Hermione looked older somehow in the moonlight cast through the window that she did in the candlelight. Lavender saw the rings of silver in Hermione's eyes for the first time and she saw the glitter of Hermione's hair was even more pronounced than her own.

"Hermione? What's happened to you?" Lavender asked as she crossed the room.

"It's a little like what happened to you." Hermione explained, while she tried not to give everything away. "You can feel the Moon on you, can't you?"

"Yes." Lavender admitted as they stood under the glow cast from the almost-full moon above them.

"You have the element in you." Lavender gave the strangely-powerful Hermione an odd look and Hermione added, "The things you can do with the remnants of the spell, they're because of that elemental power. If you think of the moon as sentient then she chose you, she gave you this power."

"And this is different from Charms and Transfiguration?"

"Yes. It's more to do with will power than words." Hermione suspected that while Lavender was most certainly gifted with the magic, Lavender's gift would have been much smaller than that granted to the Chosen or else Lavender would have been undeniably aware of it's presence before tonight. Arguably Lavender would have known about it when the four became Chosen… it could even be possible that Lavender would have been chosen also, if the elements hadn't made the selection they had, as her genetics fit her to the power.

"Then as long as I want it to happen, I won't need words or a spell." Lavender turned the idea over in her mind and found that it suited her. Spells felt restricting when she compared them with the way the crystals wanted her to mould them.

"That's it." Hermione nodded.

"Is there any way… that is, is there a book or something to help me learn?" Again Lavender was asking Hermione; wanting her advice, to follow her lead in this new form of magic… how strange.

"Well, mostly this is intention, like I said…" Hermione chewed her lip as she tried to think of something. Lavender had not had the instruction she had received nor the other forms of training which had helped lead the Chosen to their elemental control. Had Lavender not stumbled across the shards of the spell, it might have taken her a lot longer to recognise the power there.

The trouble came in separating the Moon from the Water. The powers were so attuned within her that Hermione had never consciously needed to isolate just one (and the added Air only tangled things.)

"Here," Hermione opened the window and summoned water from her lake. There was enough that it would have rested neatly in the palm of her hand and Hermione called more until she had a globe. She was careful not to let it touch her skin tonight. Next she encased the water in crystal, leaving no air inside. "If you can call light to this without words, that'll be because you've used the Moonlight to do it."

Lavender rolled the orb from hand to hand. "Thanks"

The women smiled, and Hermione felt a connection settle into place between them. Lavender's mermaid self might have been small, but it was most definitely there! Hermione's siren-self accepted the newcomer as a friend and welcomed her to her lake with the gift of its water.

It had been such a strange moment that Hermione hadn't identified the exchange of water as anything other than a careless gesture: a means to showing Lavender where her power lay. Yet as she thought upon the moment more, she understood the significance of it even though she had not been aware of it at the time. It seemed that mermaid (or more likely Siren) blood ran proudly through the Brown family's veins. Hermione suspected that there may have been more than one fully-fledged mermaid in the family tree, and that with a different set of catalysts Lavender might well have matched Hermione's transformation upon unexpected contact with water. But that was not to be; Water and Moonlight had chosen Hermione, but Moonlight had woken Lavender as a gesture of goodwill or kindness and Hermione was grateful for the company.

There was one other thought driving her: how had the Moonlight gotten into the thrice-cast spell in the first place? Ginny may have seemed like an obvious answer, but Ginny had been granted the transformation only and none of the other power. Then there was Harry who (as far as she was aware) had no Moonlight to him. Draco on the other hand… Draco might have been the one?

Hermione bid Lavender goodnight, leaving her engrossed once more in the spell-crystals and letting the practice orb rest against her knee. She suspected that the Moon was enticing Lavender into exploring it's power in much the same way the Water and Moon had drawn herself to the lake where she opened herself to the power.

……………………….

Hermione found Ron in the Private Common Room with his hands braced against the blank canvas 'map' they had affixed to the wall. She could tell from his expression that he was concentrating hard on his work and it allowed her to sneak across the room until she could slide her arms around him.

Ron tensed at the contact and relaxed as he felt her ease her way into his arms as she slid around to the front of his body and he broke off the spell on the map.

"Hi." Ron commented as she looked up at him. "I love your hair."

He ran a hand through her silver brown curls and drew her in for a kiss.

"Why is it," Hermione murmured against his lips, "that when Harry and Ginny do this, we find other places to be. But when we try it…"

"Sorry." Ginny had been trying to cross the room silently and escape without having been noticed.

"It's alright." Hermione assured her.

"No it's bloody not." Ron huffed as he winked at his sister.

"Oh Hermione, your hair!" Ginny blinked at the sight.

"It's beautiful." Harry commented as he joined the group, having returned from a trip to the kitchens.

"Thank you." Hermione blushed. "I think that the elements, the lesser ones at least, might have done more that we'd realised."

"What makes you say that?" Harry tilted his head to one side.

"It's Lavender, she has some Moonlight in her. She's using it now to effect the crystals from the spell the three of you made."

"How did she get it?" Ron asked. "Was she Chosen?"

"No. Not Chosen at all, but the element is definitely there." Hermione sighed gently as the four gathered.

"Then how…?" Ginny frowned.

"The first four elements were summoned, weren't they?" Ron aired his theory. "They came to us because Hogwarts chose us… maybe the founders even summoned them."

The others nodded.

"But the other two elements weren't planned, so maybe they weren't playing by the same rules?"

"Moonlight would be the one to be so… tricky." Ginny grinned sheepishly. "Giving me a water transformation was strange enough."

"Then why was Lavender the one?" Harry asked.

"She has the element in her blood; she's got a mermaid in her family so if that was all the invitation the Moon needed to wake her power… maybe it did?" Hermione finished.

Silence descended upon the group for a while until Harry recognised the opportunity he'd been waiting for all day.

"Since we are all here, I wanted to show you the map properly." Harry crossed to the wall and pressed a hand against the canvas, mimicking Ron's pose of a few minutes before.

Harry called out to the power of the map and it obliged him. The map of the United Kingdom drew itself from the canvass in minuscule flecks of earth summoned from each of the places they were intended to represent. Next the harder part: Harry had the earth held while Ron sealed it and then he called the second layer into wakefulness. The second layer to the spell was a layer of darkness that would, rather like a magnet attracting a paperclip, be attracted to the particular specks of earth which had seen dark magic performed upon them.

Harry and Ron had created a map that would register dark magic. It would need to be re-set to get an accurate image of Britain, but doing so only took a moment's concentration from Harry. Via a spell Ron and Dumbledore had created, Harry could connect each speck of earth back to the place they came from, which would attune them once more to the magic in that area and display any changes on the map.

The countries displayed on the canvass looked ill. They were plagued; diseased by the choking mass of black marks scattered across them. There were hundreds at first sight, perhaps three or four hundred all told, but of course the map would change.

"Is that…live?" Hermione groped for the appropriate work "Is that where the country stands?"

"Yes." Harry sighed as he looked back at the map.

"We have a lot of work to do" Ron stood tall. The task was going to be large; a truly massive undertaking… but they were built to master it.

"That's half the country," Ginny's eyes roamed down from Scotland to England and then across to Wales and Ireland "All the countries, they're all more than half dark."

"It's going to take time." Harry was itching to begin and desperate to strike that one inspirational first blow. To save that one tiny corner of the map was the start of everything: his own personal declaration of war and The Chosen proclaiming that they were ready to face whatever that war might bring.

While the map remained Tom's personal chessboard, the blackness of dark magic would swamp the countries unopposed. The Order of the Phoenix could do little to help; there was no one to gain help from, no one at the ministry to trust. They gathered what information they could and saved anyone they came across who could be saved. Their greatest asset was Severus Snape and his position was still unthinkably precarious.

Ginny took the few steps until she stood at Harry's side and reached out to touch the map.

"Pick one." He invited.

"What?" She turned to him.

"Pick one, Ginny." Harry looked to Ron and Hermione. "We need to start somewhere."

"I…" She scanned the map. "Here."

Ginny chose the place with no small amount of care. It was nowhere near her home, nor Harry's, nor Hermione's. It had tempted her to choose the dot worryingly close to the Burrow, but that was a clear indication of who she was and why they were fighting. They needed to be faceless for as long as possible.

It wasn't a massive leap of logic to assume Harry Potter to be leading the fight against Tom Riddle, but there was no proof as of yet and she wasn't about to leave any hints of who was and was not involved.

The dot was away from anywhere she recognised; she hoped it was not too close to any of the other students' homes.

"Now?" Hermione was startled. "We're doing this now?"

Harry took in the wide-eyed expression Ginny and Hermione were sharing and he saw the way Ron worked to hide the fear which had flashed through him even though he'd known of Harry's plan.

"Starting will be the hard part. Once we realise we can do this once, going back will be easier. We need to begin somewhere and chances are we'll be saving people right from the first moment." Harry explained. "It doesn't matter where we start as far as the map goes: I can't tell you which are registering because they've seen dark magic, and which are because they have Deatheaters there."

"There's only one way to find out." Harry concluded.

"How," Hermione looked again at the map. "Exactly how do we get there? The time we lose in travelling could be all the time they need to move on. We'd have to get through the wards to apparate since we can't all move through the shadows. I didn't think you'd be able to carry us at once, Harry?"

"We did think of that." Ron suppressed the butterflies in his stomach. He wasn't sure about their approach: the magic was sound, but the phrase 'leap of faith' was suddenly lodged in his mind.

Harry touched the dot of Ginny's choosing and the map rippled as he sent a pulse of power through it. The map shimmered and ebbed like water.

"What have you done?" Ginny breathed.

"We can ride the magic." Harry smiled in anticipation of the act. "It's a bit wild but I think with the armour we'll manage."

"Ride?" Hermione cast a look at their Alpha.

"Ride." He nodded. "Armour first."

As one the Chosen drew in a deep breath as each calmed their nerves.

"Henge!" Was half shouted by each of them in the fight to stay in control of their tumultuous emotions and not fall too far into fear.

Their armour answered their call as always. Hermione felt her skirt settle around her hips and checked her sword and then adjusted her boots. Ginny pulled at her gloves as she moved her weight from foot to foot and she bent to be sure her shorts weren't twisted beneath her skirt. None of these checks were necessary, but making them made the girls feel more secure for now.

Ron and Harry stood patiently, giving the girls time to breathe and giving themselves a moment to overcome any of their own anxiety that could not be suppressed.

"Familiars next." Harry growled to the group. He didn't sound harsh, it was determination that drove his voice lower and they all understood. Inwardly Harry was nowhere near as calmly determined as he looked to the group and all of them understood the facade as they relied upon Harry's appearance of calm to stop them all from losing their nerve.

"Truthsong." Ron called his phoenix into existence. The spectacular bird appeared next to him in an instant note of song and he reached out a hand to press against the phoenix's too-warm feathers.

"Silversong." Ginny echoed her brother, and saw her magnificent winged unicorn appear before her. Today would be Silversong's first chance to live up to her 'War Unicorn' title. "Hey there girl." Ginny greeted her familiar.

"Shadowdance." Hermione did not waver. The Black Fox greeted her with a lick against her cheek and he winked at his witch, closing one moon-glow eye and swishing one of his tales.

"Darkmane." Harry finished the group as the winged lion's purr echoed against the stone walls. Had Harry been paying more attention to their location instead of being so focused upon their actions, he might have wondered how far the noise of what they were doing would carry: the purr or roar of a lion is by no means a subtle thing.

The familiars greeted each other with nods or a soft brush of fur against feathers as they passed. They each approached their human s again, taking care to manoeuvre without breaking anything or knocking anyone else with the tip of a wing or a too-enthusiastic swish of the tail. The familiars were as intrigued and excited as their human counterparts as they observed Harry's map of things.

"Mount up?" Ginny asked.

At Harry's nod, the group climbed with hard learned grace onto the backs of their familiars. There had been many not-so-graceful attempts under the founder's watchful eyes, and Ron still swore that he would never have managed it at all if his element wasn't able to give him that extra push. Ginny was internally grateful of her familiar's form as it was surely the easiest to ride… except perhaps for Hermione's Fox which had no wings to trouble her. (And being a creature of the wind, Shadowdance was still perfectly capable of flight if he so chose.)

After Hermione and Ron magically cleared the room of furniture to give the group enough room to spread out, the four Chosen found themselves in a neat line as the animals arranged themselves and stretched to get used to the feel of the stone room they were currently occupying. Harry backed the line until they were almost pressed against the far wall.

"H-Harry I just…" Hermione shook against Shadowdance as she imagined how much a collision with the wall would hurt.

"Are you SURE we'll get through?" Ron couldn't hold the question in.

"Are you?" Harry asked. "It was your spell, Ron!" It was a lot easier to be confident before he was faced with the prospect of jumping into a stone wall.

Harry was silent for a moment too long and the others turned from their places in the line: Ron at his right with Hermione on Ron's right, and Ginny close on Harry's left, to look at him.

"If you really want to wait for morning-" Harry began.

"No." Hermione shook her head. "Now that we're here, -"

"It feels like its time." Ginny continued.

"It's just … getting there." Ron sighed at the wall.

"I'll go first, okay?" Harry felt panic bubble within and he pushed thoughts of it away. "If anything goes wrong, we can hit the shadow and not the wall, Right Darkmane?"

The lion shook himself as Harry gripped tighter onto his mane and tightened the grip his knees had against Darkmane's sides. Harry bent low over the lion's back and Darkmane roared magnificently as he surged into motion. He had room for one bound across the room and then the lion crouched for an instant, and leapt for the canvass.

There was a blinding surge of magic as a wind swept through the room and whipped everyone's hair across their eyes. As the wind lessened, Harry was gone.

"Harry?" Hermione asked the now-empty space where he had been.

_Harry? _

For too long Ginny heard only silence

_Harry!_ She called again.

_Gin?_

_Harry! Are you safe? Did you make it?_

_Were you calling before? I … I'm here. Watch the landing, okay? It's a bit higher than we imagined it'd be._

_Are you hurt?_

_No, Gin. It's brilliant! It's like a rollercoaster, It's –_

_Like… what?_

_Oh… well, you'll see… Hold on tight and watch the landing, love._

_Thanks. You're crazy for thinking this up Harry, but thanks all the same._ Ginny felt Harry's laughter and she let the conversation go.

"Who goes next?" Ron was next according to the hierarchy in that he was Second in command, but as Ginny's rank came through Harry she might have outranked Ron had Harry been in the room. The group had never looked too closely at the way their rank measured against each other's.

"I'll take Ginny with me, if you don't mind?" Hermione felt the need for moral support. Jumping into unknown magic was still daunting alone, but coupled with thoughts of what might have been waiting for her on the other side, she was still left fighting not to panic.

"That's fine, I can close the portal that way." Ron nodded.

"Ready, Ginny?" Hermione and Shadowdance took one step forwards.

Ginny swallowed visibly and wound her fingers more tightly into Silversong's mane.

"Ready." He voice cracked slightly over the word, but she shook her head and joined Hermione.

Ginny and Hermione reached for each other's hands at the same instant and they shared a nervous smile as they let go and bent forwards in anticipation of the familiars' movements.

"Oh!" Ginny sat up again for a moment. "Harry says to watch the landing."

"Okay." Ron frowned when Ginny turned from him; had Harry told Ginny more about the map before tonight? Had they tested it together? … but then why was Ginny so pale if she had done this before? … it was as if Harry had told her after his own journey… but that was impossible, wasn't it?

"On three?" Ginny asked hopefully.

Hermione nodded.

"Three!" Ron shouted with a wink.

Silversong reared back as Ginny nudged her sides with her toes. Silversong spread her wings and failed to suppress a whinny of triumph and excitement that was echoed by the yip from Shadowdance who had crouched low to the floor as he whipped his tails furiously from side to side, calling a fearsome wind into existence.

Together (and with a shout from both of the women lost in the moment) the two creatures leapt. Shadowdance could leap further than any Lion might manage and so he entered that picture-portal in a single bound. The War Unicorn at his side beat her wings mid-jump and was flying by the time their small group approached the canvass.

Again the magic around them surged and gave a great leap which pulled the four beings normally too large to fit, into the canvass neatly as the portal rose up to meet them.

Ron lowered his arm from where he had been using it to shield his eyes. Now he stood alone in their common room and he smiled wistfully at the noise of the students on the other side of the far wall. It was as the first knocks were made on the door to the Private Common Room and before the teachers themselves arrived to discover the source of the commotion and of the two vast pulses of magic that had been rolling through Hogwarts that Ron and Truthsong spoke the spell which would close the path after the next traveller had been admitted.

Ron held his breath as Truthsong rose into the air, screeched a piercing note and he laughed because it was all he could do as the spectacular creature made for the portal.

Riding the magic was not easy. Ron and Truthsong were buffeted by bursts of power form every direction. Ron was left clinging to Truthsong for all he was worth in fear that the next pulse of magic to collide with them would unseat him. He didn't want to think of what would happen if they were separated. Truthsong let out a few notes of indignation as he was knocked from his own course as the wind, (or tide?) of magic rose around them. There was one clear path laid out for them but sticking to it was immensely hard.

There was one final swell of wild magic that came for them in an uncontrolled burst of power. This time Ron gripped his phoenix with all he had to spare and he stretched his own wings and used them in a perfect echo of Truthsong's and together the human and phoenix rode out the last burst of power.

As they were released into the night air, the sudden chance if wind speed and direction tore them apart and Ron was thrown to the side as Truthsong struggled to right himself in the suddenly calm sky.

Ron could see the other chosen far below: Hermione sitting in Harry's arms and Harry wearing wings of Shadow as Ginny flew into the night to meet her brother.

"Are you alright?" She asked as she drew level with him.

"Fine, I lost it towards the end though." Ron watched Truthsong land safely and he and Ginny began their descent.

"So did we." Ginny looked down, ashamed. "It took me too long to realise… to call my wings, I couldn't get to Hermione… she fell."

"Harry has her, Ginny." Ron prayed for her to be safe, he begged whoever might hear him that this was not Ginny's way of explaining that his love was badly injured, that she had fallen from so high up to collide only with the Earth.

"Yes. He caught her before she fell too far, but I was closer Ron." Ginny looked at her brother. "I think we need to practice this. That's twice it's happened to the group and last time no one could make the catch and Harry fell."

"You're right. And if this is how the portal will always work then we need to get better at travelling through it and saving someone who falls."

By now the two redheads were only inches from the ground and Ron ran as fast as he could manage to Hermione who was standing next to Harry and smiling.

The Chosen re-united and for the first time they took in their surroundings fully. They were in the Lake District it seemed, from the contours of the land around them. There was a hill to their left which had a large house positioned half way up its side. There was no other visible sign of civilisation and so that house must be their destination.

"Are we sure that's the right place?" Hermione questioned.

Harry closed his eyes and concentrated for a few seconds.

"I'm positive, 'Mione."

"What do we do now?" Ron was the one to ask, but all four of them had been thinking along the same lines.

"Are there wards? Will they see us coming?" Ginny was glad for the cover of darkness, it meant that they had time to plan things here… not a great deal of time, mind you, but enough that they didn't need to run in without any kind of plan.

_Are you scared, Gin?_

_Me?_

_Yeah._

_Harry I'm terrified! This is the single most frightening thing I've ever done._

_Me too. I'm scared too._

Ginny paused to look at him. Harry's hands shook as his eyes stayed fixed on the house in the distance. She cast a quick glance back at where Ron held Hermione tightly within his arms, assuring them both that she was safe while he mentally cursed himself for not anticipating her need and being there to catch her.

Ginny pulled Harry into a brief but searing kiss. Automatically he reached for her as she sent the most delicious warmth coursing through his veins. When they parted, the four familiars were watching them intently and they blushed dully in the night.

"Um…" Ginny turned away from their dazzling menagerie and towards the other two Chosen.

"Yeah, we should-" Harry kissed her swiftly once more and then drew back and called for Ron and Hermione.

Once the group was completed, the humans and familiars standing in a loose circle, Harry raised a circle of Shadow around them. There was very little chance of them being spotted, but now that it had occurred to him to do so, he felt certain that he should have hidden their presence before now. He wished dearly that he could have found a way to leave the others hidden when there were alone, but he couldn't find a way. There was the invisibility cloak, but it would only hinder their fighting and spell casting.

"Firstly, I think we're going to need our magic back." Hermione was the first to speak and Ron nodded, as did Truthsong and Shadowdance. They faded from sight after a moment and Hermione and Ron felt their magic return to them. Harry and Ginny sent their familiars towards the house knowing that between the animals, Ron and Hermione's spells and anything Harry and Ginny might sense, they ought to be able to get a clearer picture of what kind of defences they were up against.

There was a tense wait as three of the Chosen concentrated and Harry climbed once more onto Darkmane's back so that he could hide both the unicorn and lion with Shadows while they ran the distance to the house and back.

"Hermione?" Ginny reached for the older woman's hand.

"Yes?" Hermione was shaking but Ginny wouldn't give that away.

"What if it's just a house?" Ginny was shaking too now: this was terrifying.

"What if they moved? And some nice muggles live here now?" Ron took Ginny's other hand as he spoke and he was unsteady as well.

It had been so easy to pretend everything was obvious when they were at school but now that they were out under the sky and approaching an unknown house in a deserted valley, what if things were more complicated? What if there were no Deatheaters in the house.

"What if we made a mistake?" Hermione nodded.

"We have to be sure." Harry spoke from behind them, making the entire group visibly flinch. "There has to be no doubt."

He was certain there had been dark spells cast here and not in a small quantity. Someone had cast unforgivables over and over on the land around the large house with its quaint thatched roof.

It was Hermione who reached out with her magic once more. "There are some nasty spells protecting the house."

Harry nodded: they'd kept him on one side while the remaining familiars had approached the walls and windows of the house.

"Okay, so we're safe to assume we have to look into this." Ginny spoke up. "We can't leave without checking it."

Harry smiled "We have a plan now: we lower the wards and we get into the house. We go quietly and secretly, we look for a sign that they're muggles."

"If they are, we back off. Retreat and head back to Hogwarts but we leave an alarm here, something to call us back if the magic happens again." Ron stepped up to his place as Harry's beta.

"If they're wizards, we get a wand and Ginny and I will guard Ron and Hermione while you work out if it's the one casting the spells. Once we have proof, we…"

"There's no way to take prisoners, is there?" Ginny had been trying to think of some way, but even Azkaban was of no use, and bringing Deatheaters to Hogwarts would be a disaster.

"If we have proof, they we stop them from hurting anyone again." Harry looked around the group slowly. This was different from their desperate actions in saving Hermione; this was a planned and calculated act of murder from one point of view. Otherwise this was the first act of defiance in too long, from the light side of the war.

"Okay." Ginny shook off the last of her fear; it would only get her killed if she couldn't master it.

Hermione and Ron moth nodded their agreement and then got to work lowering the defences around the house. It didn't take them as long as they'd imagined: rather than breaking through the wards or lowering them entirely, the pair lifted the wards along with the ground they had been anchored to. It was a plan that would never have worked in any other location, as it would have been too much of an eyesore, but hidden away with the house, there was nobody to see the floating ring of earth.

"Come on, then." Harry rolled his shoulders and drew his sword. After a look towards Darkmane, Harry felt his magic return to him and he took the first step under the wards.

"Coming." Ginny reached out to Silversong and felt the rush of her magic across her palm.

"Me too." Hermione hurried to catch up to Ginny.

Ron wished them luck while he concentrated once more on holding the earth where it was. Arguably it might have been easier for Harry to hold the earth aloft than it was for Ron to suspend it there with carefully controlled winds, but Harry wouldn't have been able to monitor the wards at the same time.

Harry, Hermione and Ginny approached the back door in silence, and Hermione was startled to note that she had no reflection as they passed a window before she remembered Harry would have hidden them.

Hermione whispered a spell under her breath and the door swung open.

They found themselves in a kitchen that would have rivalled Molly Weasley's for its state of improbably usefulness. There were pans stacked high across the counter as a scrubbing brush tiredly scrubbed at the front of the queue. In the background, a pattern of birds flew across the wallpaper and a clock declared that it was 'too late to be in here!'

_Not muggles then._

_No, it doesn't look that way._ Harry reached behind him for Ginny's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He turned silently to the women following him, and saw that they were finally free of their fear and nerves: they were following his lead (quite literally as he guided their small procession through the kitchen) and they were not panicking.

Harry was immensely proud of them and greatly relieved that he had found the strength within himself to do this, and to justify their trust in him.

With each step they gained a little more confidence at their actions. Each inch of floor they crossed made them more comfortable with their code and their choices. All they would do was test the wands of the people living there, if there was nothing to be found then the owners would never know the Chosen existed.

It all might have gone smoothly, if not for Ginny's senses screaming at her that there was fire approaching.

"Get down!" She yelled as the wall of the kitchen was blown towards them.

Hermione flattened herself against the floor as Harry dropped next to her. She heard his growl as pieces of plaster and chunks of brick continued to strike the floor around them.

Ginny stood tall in the fire; catching what she could and dragging the rest away from Harry and Hermione. She made a desperate grab for the flame and directed it up and away from the three of them, staggering slightly against the backlash, and saw their opponent's face clearly for the first time. It was lit by the light of the blaze she was now pulling into a spiral around the ceiling so as not to damage any of the walls, and she saw the man's lips form the word 'crucio.'

Harry had clearly been faster in overcoming his shock because he hurled what looked like a pan into the path of the oncoming spell as he rose to his feet. The man before him snarled a curse and raised his want to cast again at the intruders in his house.

Hermione did not move from the floor, instead she was concentrating intently on the man attacking them, as Harry distracted him and Ginny tried desperately to control the fire. Hermione finished her spell; it would reveal the colour of the man's magic – the blacker his magic turned, the darker his spells were on average. The colour would only be visible to her, she hadn't had time to make up anything better.

"Harry!" Hermione choked as she tried to breathe. She stood at Harry's side, waving a hand to counter one of the spells the Deatheater sent at them, while the duo kept Ginny protected.

"Yes?"

"He's evil… the spells he's performed, they have no light in them!" She knew she was condemning the man to death, but there was little in his magic to make her want to save him.

Hermione watched the conflict rage briefly in Harry's eyes before the ceiling above them all gave an almighty screech and the Deatheater smiled as he hurled yet more fire at the group for Ginny to try to control.

"I don't know who you think you are," He approached the worthless thieves who had broken into his house. Well, the house he had acquired after killing the family who had occupied it before. "But the Dark Lord and we who follow him, will not stand for such insolence!"

Once more he let loose the powerful flames, and this time the ceiling screamed as it started to give way.

Hermione threw up a shield as Ginny was forced to her knees by the pressure against her magic.

"Ginny!" Hermione shouted. "Heat rises! Heat it up!"

It was not the best logic in the world, but Hermione was sure that if Ginny put her mind to it, she might manage to make it work in spite of this. Hermione kept her barrier in place, and looked at Harry and the Deatheater who were once more throwing spells at each other. The Deatheater laughed and said something which must have made Harry scream at him, Hermione only saw his mouth open as her shield seemed to melt under the fire and the roar of Ginny's work filled the night.

Ginny had stopped fighting the flames and trying to slow them. Instead she urged them on: further and faster and hotter. They swirled over and around each other, endlessly circling the room, forming a vortex. She had the disk held flat enough that it was almost a solid wall, and she prayed that if she kept it moving fast enough then it would protect them from the falling debris as the ceiling tried to fall.

Heat washed through the room as Hermione once again threw a barrier into existence: she needed Ron for this. This time both women cried out as the pressure increased once more: Hermione felt her own knees hit the floor as Ginny reached for her hand. They had put too much power into the spells to stop the fire now: doing so would have nasty (and quite conceivably explosive) consequences. The domed shield Hermione had constructed would have to hold against the force of the fire while Ginny tried to keep the fire moving fast enough that they could hold up the ceiling. Removing any part of the pressure would have thrown off the balance before Ginny and Hermione could compensate.

Harry felt a spell graze his arm, and winced as he felt the pain which came a moment after the injury. The Deatheater thought him distracted enough to run and Harry didn't have time to do anything other than chase him.

_Hang on, Ginny. _

The Deatheater bolted through the back door of the house and tried to escape across the lawn. Harry wasn't taking chances now, he sunk his power deep into the earth and called it into movement. The earth that clung to the Deatheater's boots attached itself to the ground as he stepped, and there it clung.

The force of his motion flung the man forwards and he fell with a sickening snap to the side. Harry forced back the urge to vomit at the sight of the doubtlessly broken legs the man was now cursing.

Ron saw the commotion from the corner of his eye and he had been watching the increasing amount of smoke pouring from beneath the roof of the house for some time, as he saw the brightness in the kitchen increasing past the point where he could stand to look at it.

"Ron, I can hold the wards." Harry shouted to his Second. "Help them!"

Ron nodded and slid into his wolf form for the extra speed it would give him. He sprinted for the back door so fast he blurred and he left Harry to deal with the man.

Ron found the girls kneeling together beneath the onslaught from above and as he took in the extent of the situation, at first his mind was blank, and then as the house (which seemed to be threatening to fall down around them, as well as simply the hall and kitchen ceiling) gave another almighty moan.

Instinctively Ron called his shield into existence and positioned it over the top of Ginny's fire. Both Girls felt the addition of more magic and they flinched away from it as the pain of channelling more than they could stand started to creep through them. Desperately, Hermione reached out a hand to let Ron through the wards and he was suddenly at her side, holding onto her and Ginny.

Ginny felt the weight of the ceiling removed, but the pressure held the fire in place. She drew breath as she recognise her cue. The fire was slow to respond now that it had so much momentum built up, but she redirected it from the spiral and guided it between the two shields until the edge of the flame was level with her face.

"Hermione, can you let my hand through the shield?"

"I…" Hermione took Ginny's hand in her own and pressed them both against the wall. "Can you keep the fire from burning me?"

"I can if you can." They shared a smile because neither was certain they could uphold their end of the bargain. Ron had magic compatible with the shield, Ginny did not.

The fire bucked wildly under Ginny's control but as Hermione pushed their hands forwards, Ginny pulled the fire into her own hand before it could reach Hermione. Ginny screamed as the flames filled her and the barrier numbed her wrist where it passed through it's surface and Hermione in turn let out a whimper as her hand was subjected to the head from the flames, but not the flames themselves.

The ten seconds it took for Ginny to drain the fire seemed endless, but finally there was no more: the double shields stood empty and the three Chosen were free to make a break for the door. Hermione's shield faltered and she swayed on her feet. Ron was sweating with the effort it took to keep his own shield in place.

They small group found Harry kneeling in the mud outside the house, and Ron felt his barrier splinter and fall as they approached their leader.

"Is he?" Ginny was the only one to speak, primarily because Ron and Hermione succumbed to coughing fits as their bodies rejected the smoke they'd been unable to avoid. Luckily there had not been much inside Hermione's shield and so both would be fine in a minute. Ginny was not affected by smoke, and so she was the one to question Harry.

"He's gone." Harry looked once more at the earth around him.

Wordlessly Ginny slid an arm around Harry as they turned to look back the house. Ron had a hand placed against his chest and he was concentrating on clearing the air in his lungs: if he'd thought of it in time, he could have protected himself from the smoke. Once his own lungs were clear, he helped Hermione work with her smaller gift of Air to ease her breaths.

The four Chosen were left standing in a slightly ragged line and all staring at the house.

"Should I stop the fire?" Ginny wondered. "I can do it now, now it's burning naturally."

"Let it burn." Harry decided.

"What about the rest of the people living there?" Ron asked, alarmed.

"There were some pictures in the hallway and kitchen," Hermione explained. "That man wasn't in them."

"He killed the family." Ron sighed deeply. "Should we save anything? The pictures?"

Hermione looked over at Harry "They might still have relatives…?"

Ginny concentrated hard on the fire, she felt like she'd let the others down by not stopping the fire in the first place, by saving any belongings she might make up for a little of the trouble she caused.

"It… It won't burn anything but the walls and floor." Ginny said as she finished binding the fire to the path she wished it would take. "Anything else can be fixed if it's found."

Hermione nodded and then began to walk in a circle around the house. She explained what she was doing as she went and so the others stayed to watch while she worked. Hermione called water from the river and laid it over the circle the house's wards had followed so that the fire would not be able to spread any further than her barrier.

"This didn't go very well, did it?" Ron looked over to Harry as he spoke.

"That depends how you measure it." Harry looked back.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't very - " Ginny began.

"Don't do that." Harry cut her off. "We shouldn't get into the habit of laying blame. We came to do this together, as the Chosen, and we didn't manage it perfectly… but nobody on our side was hurt badly and the Deatheater can't hurt anyone else." Harry knew that they would improve over time; all they needed now was practice.


	36. Help

Well now! Another year has turned up and so it's about time we had a new chapter! (I'll keep this intro short seeing as it's been yet another long gap between chapters)

I hope everybody had a very Happy Holiday, and anyone who was in the UK… How brilliant was that snow? It was the first White Christmas I can remember… and I hope you weren't all snowed in for too long!

Allonz-y! (Yes, I'm a Doctor Who addict… as are you if that reference made any sense hehehe)

Terraferme – Ahh yes! The 'Hermione' spelling did escape me for quite a while! Having said that, it should be all fixed now that my spell checker seems to recognize it as a word =) And here's a new chapter to boot! Hope you like it and it's always lovely to hear from my readers!

quirky-chick1001 - Thank you so much, I hope you enjoy the new chapter too!

Jennifer - Hi there! I'm happy to say that yes, I am still writing… not as fast as I'd like, but we're getting there! I hope you like the new chapter and so far, this is all there is… but hopefully there'll be more soon!

kats24 – Well I'm sorry to say that there's no Draco in this chapter… but the NEXT one might just answer your question! Thank you so much for the review, and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Goodygurl - Hi there! It's always wonderful to hear from you, I hope you're still out there and reading! I'm planning on a bit more conversation next time so there should be some Chosen/rest of the world interaction to look forward to then! Hope you're well and enjoy! Hehe

Chocoholicteen - Brilliant name you have there! Okay, you asked a few questions so here we go … Looking at Draco's winning the sword fight, if you take a look back you'll notice that Draco won the fight because Harry took the opportunity to win the 'war.' Harry gave up on the actual sword fight because that wasn't really the point of the fight; it was all about the flags, you see? And as far as Draco's skill goes… personally (and so as far as Wings Canon goes) I think that the son of Lucius Malfoy would have had rather a lot of practice with a sword… particularly when the swords were Draco's idea in the first place. But thank you so much for asking and feel free to get in touch if there's anything else you'd like to know =)

* * *

"Well that was…"

Ron couldn't seem to find words that might sum up what they had done. He couldn't even work out if they should be proud or guilty over their actions. He knew that of all of them he probably had the least to feel guilt over in that the majority of his work had been conducted without committing crimes: he'd not broken into a house, not been involved in a duel without rules to ensure safety, not been involved in the subsequent destruction of said house, he'd not been the one to commit 'murder' he'd even not been the one to harm the wards which were in place around the rubble and flames of the house. Once the fighting was done, the wards had been lowered back into place.

Yet it was Ron who felt the weight of his guilt might crush him. He had done nothing to help in the real fight. Hermione had firstly fallen from the sky and he had failed to catch her, then when the fight had erupted and the house blazed with firelight and through it he swore he could hear his sister and his love scream, he had still done nothing. He had been trapped outside with the wards.

Then it had been Harry to chase down the Deatheater and to put an end to him. In that Ron felt grim satisfaction beneath the guilt. Guilt again because the man had run from the house and that put him into Ron's hands and yet Harry had been the one… It wasn't that Ron felt cheated out of the kill, it was that he worried that Harry had thought he might not have been able to take care of the Deatheater alone. Ron's guilt stemmed from that one point entirely: his Alpha did not trust him because Ron hadn't given him enough of a reason to do so. Even as he thought it, he knew that it wasn't entirely true because harry had trusted him with something more important: running to the aid of Hermione and Ginny, but the doubt stayed with Ron even as he tried to accept the facts.

So it was Ron left standing in the wreckage unscathed and Harry who looked to be near the point of collapse. Harry staggered as the Chosen found each other, every one of them lost in their own thoughts and memories of the past… how long? Half an hour? An hour at the most? So much had changed in that small progression of time.

"Yeah…" Harry's lips quirked into a mockery of a smile. "It was."

"What you said about blame was important." Hermione nursed her fiercely burning hand and firmly ignored the tears streaming across her cheeks from the smoke and the pain.

"Yes." Ginny murmured. She couldn't stop the violent trembling in her hand and it was burned so badly that she could feel herself fast approaching the point of nausea where she would have no choice but to try and find a secluded spot while it overcame her.

"We shouldn't blame anyone" Hermione continued "but we need to discuss this… it was the best we could manage."

"It was good… in a way: we did what we came to do, like Harry said, but we need to make our best better." Ginny went even more white as she spoke.

"She's right; if anyone else found us now, Ginny and I would be useless-"

"That is not true" Harry snarled the words, they were wounded and fading but they were by no means finished. He could see in even if they could not. They were all capable of doing more but it was sadistic to force any of them to do so.

_H-Harry?_

_Gin?_

_My h-hand, Harry-_

"What?!" Harry was at her side in an instant and pulled her hand away from her body as she cringed away from the movement. "God, Ginny… Hermione!"

The brunette had been trying to hide her own burn; studiously telling herself that Ginny's was worse but as a wave of fresh agony boiled across the two women, they both wrenched away from the group so they could empty their stomachs in relative privacy. The pain had surged as the wind caught the fire and brew the sparks and the blaze itself even higher up into the sky.

"We have to get home, Ron." Harry ordered with every nuance of his Alpha self that he could put into his voice. "We need help!"

Ron nodded, instantly obedient to the order because he understood Harry's overwhelming need in giving it.

"I don't know how, Ron, I don't know how to get back!" Panic leaked into this Alpha's voice and Ron stepped up to Harry's side.

"Let me handle this one, okay?" Ron assured him. No matter what his own insecurities might be, there was his pack to protect first.

Ron called Truthsong and the magnificent creature materialized and filled the night with song. Truthsong was too much a being of Air to be a true phoenix; in actuality he was something new and something altogether spectacular, but he could not cry tears of power which would heal his human's love or his human's sister. Instead he screeched, and the sound sent the Chosen screaming to their knees with their hands vainly attempting to block the sound.

The screech was more base and far more powerful than a spell, and as it lengthened, Truthsong began to burn with the sound and to light up the air with power. Ron reached out desperately to his familiar and in the moment Ron's hand brushed the edge of one radiant wing, his own power fulfilled the summoning Truthsong was singing into existence.

The portal re-opened but this time at ground level.

"Huh" Ron fell to his knees as Truthsong dissolved back into Ron's own magic.

"Did we know that was possible?" Harry spared a moment to puzzlement as he stood.

Ginny and Hermione remained on their hands and knees, both lost to tears and white-heat agony.

"Make it stable, Ron" Harry took his place behind his Second in command and laid a hand on Ron's shoulder.

"What? How?" Ron tried to look back. "It doesn't work that way."

Harry knew that. He knew it in his bones but he also knew that his idea would work… and that it would be stupid. He knew that this was the kind of plan only to be used in emergencies because it violated something within him.

"Do it!" Harry's voice was firm. "Start a spell, make something up."

Ron began a whispered stream of words, faltering and never-quite-right, but it was beginning to do something.

Harry placed his right hand against Ron's back, feeling his spine against the palm of his hand. He took a moment to brace himself – found his balance and closed his eyes. Then Harry forced his power through Ron the pressure drove both men to their knees as Harry's cold, dark power surged into Ron's unfamiliar hands.

Ron stumbled to control the rush of force and the sheer screaming fight of the magic, but Harry was there too teaching control and letting Ron shape the spell while Harry struggled to fuel it.

When the power finally exploded from Ron's outstretched hands and arrowed into the portal, Harry noticed the tears on Ron's cheeks as he felt the cascade down his own.

"N-never again." Harry whispered to his Second. "We are never trying that again"

"Yeah." Ron turned weakly, feeling nauseas at having someone else's magic within him. "Good, but…"

"What?" Harry met Ron's look as he waited for his power to calm down.

"We couldn't have done it alone." Ron shrugged even as he forced the bile back down his throat and he saw Harry pale at the thought.

"What are you saying?" Harry sounded scared.

"That it was worth it." Ron looked at his Alpha with strength filling his eyes. "That this is what we needed to do and so we have done it. It's our job, our duty… this is what you've been waiting for us to realize."

Though Harry's heart broke at the state his Chosen were in, that Ron understood the driving need which had been forcing Harry into action was a vast relief. Words could not be enough to explain the calling to take necessary action, but Harry had answered the call on behalf of all of them and now thankfully Ron could understand why. More than that; Ron was endorsing Harry's choice.

Any other conversation would have to wait, and Harry knew that there was a lot more which needed to be said.

Resolutely, Harry pushed himself to his feet and felt his muscles protest against the movement. He staggered with that first step, but it got him a few inches close to Ginny. She needed him.

"Ron? Can you… Hermione." Harry was inarticulate in explaining his plan, but Ron had been his friend for long enough that he understood and he nodded weakly as he crawled over to his beautiful, hurt girlfriend.

"Hey" Ron whispered weakly to her and she smiled shakily back.

"Hi"

Ron mirrored Harry's earlier fight to stand as Hermione clutched weakly at her stomach.

Harry eased his arms around Ginny and lifted her into the air so he held her safely.

_What are you doing?_

_Can you walk?_

_I don't… yes!_

_Gin_

_Okay, no. But… I feel silly._

_I don't care. As long as you're safe, you can feel as silly as you like._

Harry could hear a similar conversation occurring between Ron and Hermione and the two men shared a smile as the mortified girls avoided eye contact and tried not to let the pain from their still-burning hands get the better of them.

Ron and Harry strolled over to the portal as Harry heard the vaguest beginnings of a police siren in the distance. This time, the path through the wild magic was just that: a path. There was a cloud of black and white feathers waiting and though the magic pulled at them and tried to break apart the path altogether, the feathers held fast to each other. This magic was not stable, it was a thing wrought of power and desperation and will alone, the white feathers were black-tipped and the black were shot through with white. Neither Ron nor Harry had done this and it made the path stronger in its magic even as the two Chosen rebelled at the process which had called it into being. They both knew that the path would not last long.

Calling on strength which neither man possessed, they began a half-desperate race back through the magic, and away… so blissfully away, from that house and all that had been done there.

Harry and Ron stumbled and staggered the last few steps because they could each feel the power of their path was fragmenting and it would soon fade entirely out of existence. At some point during the journey, while Harry and Ron did their level best to keep the women protected and to keep moving towards the safety of the castle, both Hermione and Ginny had lost the fight against consciousness.

There was a last jarring leap from the feathered floor to the lush carpeted haven that was their private common room, looking every bit as innocent and empty as they'd left it.

There was an instant of calm, during which both Harry and Ron were able to catch their balance and then the almighty racket which was emanating from the common room reached them. There seemed to be some kind of half-riot as students banged on the door to the private common room.

Harry only then understood that the noise of their leaving would have travelled throughout Gryffindor Tower but there simply wasn't time to deal with the aftermath of their actions until Ginny and Hermione were healed.

"Harry?" Ron smiled tightly as a familiar voice cut through the mass of students "McGonagall's there."

"We can't go that way; too many people." Harry chewed absently on his lip as he considered their options. "Right. This way."

Harry once more drew on power that frankly he no longer had.

_HARRY! _ Ginny's voice screamed at him and she fought to be free of his arms; pulled back to consciousness by the feel of him draining his reserves.

Harry lost their brief fight and Ginny stood alone once more although the hurt coursing through her veins burned more ferociously with every breath. Her vision danced and swayed and glowed red at the edges.

Harry was beyond her now, he pulled the group through the shadows and they fell; the four of them, into the entrance of the Hospital Wing. Harry felt the edges of his vision darkening as he forced their path through the shadows, he felt the darkness tearing as they went and was unaware of Ron's horrified look.

Ron was the last of the chosen left conscious and he saw Harry's fall as the wings of shadow were torn apart from his Alpha's shoulders and they broke to pieces as his body fell. Thankfully they were out of the shadow element's blackness by the time Harry faltered and Ron was truly in awe of the way he had stretched himself to see his friends to safety. Now three of the four Chosen lay unconscious and it was then that Ron saw the smoke rising from Hermione's hand.

"Madam Pomfrey!" Ron shouted as he hammered his fists against the door to the Hospital Wing. It was far too late for her to be ready, but there must have been some magic to inform her of the state of the infirmary because she had never abandoned a student in need.

She was still burning! Hermione's hand was still on fire… and not just her, Ginny too. Ron turned in desperation and shock to see where Ginny's flesh continued to char. How much had it cost them to stay silent? He wondered how much time had been lost because they hadn't been able to tell him or tell Harry what was happening to them.

"MADAM POMFREY!" This time Ron shouted with all his might and threw a deal of Air into the call so that he was certain it would reach the matron's ears.

Ron had a few moments to try and quell the blind panic within himself, and he turned back to the three Chosen who were sprawled across the corridor knowing that he should have looked after them first. Now he called upon the gentlest wind her could summon and added power to it. Under his tutelage the wind learnt what Ron was asking of it and it shaped itself obligingly. Again this night saw something unlikely to have been attempted before then; Ron created three platforms of Air upon which his friends now lay, hovering away from the harsh stone.

Ron hoped that their hurts had eased, but knew he could not do anything more for them; he simply didn't have the knowledge.

"What on Earth?!" Madam Pomfrey opened the door to the infirmary.

"Please!" Ron's knees steadied as he saw her, without someone there to see him, Ron found it infinitely harder to keep himself together. Now that there was another present, it wouldn't have mattered who they were, he could act the way he needed to act.

"Mister Weasley?" The matron was frankly astonished at the sight which lay before her.

"They need your help." Ron sighed as the intimidating woman looked carefully at the three bodies suspended behind him and then stood aside to usher them all through the doorway.

Briskly, Madam Pomfrey waved her wand at the three students. "Is that … Mister Potter?"

"Yes, and Hermione and Ginny." Ron followed her and watched her purse her lips as she waved her wand again.

"This spell… " She shook her head, assuming she was tired. There was no logical reason for the three levitating bodies not to have obeyed her.

"Oh!" Ron flushed as he flapped a hand at each of the winds. He lay Hermione as softly as he knew how onto the bed closest to Madam Pomfrey and then placed Ginny on the bed next to her. Harry he directed to the bed on the far side of Ginny because as far as Ron was aware, Harry's condition was more due to overexertion than it was any specific injury.

"What has happened here?" The matron demanded as she descended upon Hermione and ran every diagnostic spell she could think of, while casting the same spells at the next two beds as well.

"I can't really say." Ron answered truthfully. "I wasn't there when they got hurt. Harry's exhausted, I think, and there was some kind of fire…"

"These burns are more than a simple fire would cause." She had never seen their like and the worst part was that (she moved from Miss Granger to check her condition against that of Miss Weasley to be sure, the burns seemed to be worsening as she watched.

"It was a curse" Ron supplied.

"And the gloves, Mister Weasley… would you care to tell me why they cannot be removed?" She eyed him warily and with a dawning suspicion showing plainly in her eyes.

"I think, Madam, that I had better not say anything until Harry is awake" Ron even bowed slightly as he spoke, calling on the most meticulously polite manners his Mother had tried to teach him. "As for the gloves, I believe I may be able to help there."

Ron took his place at Hermione's side and drew the material into his hands before realizing that it would pull at the wound.

"One short, sharp movement would be best." Madam Pomfrey advised calmly.

"Right." Ron braced himself and even they the way the material _stuck_ to the wound still threatened to undo him. At this point he was glad that Hermione was unconscious because he wouldn't wish the experience of this upon her.

Once the glove was removed, and Ron spent a few green-tinged moments arguing with his stomach, Ron rushed to Ginny's side to free her hand for inspection as well. As he did so he was not expecting the wry comment from the Nurse.

"I would wonder if you mother is aware that you were sure you could have extracted Miss Granger from her clothes?"

"My Mother?"

"Yes dear, I believe that seeing you and Miss Granger together would cheer her up no end." Madam Pomfrey had to wait a few moments for the results of her spells to be formulated.

"I didn't realize…" Ron floundered slightly as he tried to pay attention to anything outside his gravely injured friends. "Are you friends with-?"

"With the number of times I have seen a certain pair of inventive twins in this room, a certain level of acquaintance with their Mother was inevitable and I – Oh dear." She trailed off as she frowned down at Hermione's hand.

"What is it?" Ron leapt to her side.

"This burn will not heal." She murmured. "I have another potion or two which might be tried. I am not out of tricks yet, dear."

For the next ten minutes potion after potion was produced and applied to Hermione's hand and eventually Poppy debated sending word to Severus as she was clearly in need of something more powerful than the potions she routinely stocked. Worse than the potions proving ineffective, it seemed that they simply could not touch the wound. She could not tell if they were being burned away before they came into contact with the skin or if there was some kind of magical or physical barrier to their application.

"Madam Pomfrey? Please, what's the problem" Ron heard the beginnings of a whine in his voice as he vainly tried to find something helpful to do. The sight of the other three being so still and so helpless would, he was sure, be haunting his nightmares for quite some time.

"The wound needs to be cooled and treated and I can do neither." The call to Severus was perhaps overdue. "I believe we need something more potent."

It took Madam Pomfrey less than a minute to call Severus via the floo but he was not able to travel through it: potions as sensitive as Severus Snape might concoct did not respond well to other magics being placed upon them. A simple summoning spell would damage them beyond all usefulness.

"What about more of a 'brute force' plan?" Madam Pomfrey thought aloud.

"In what way?" Ron looked up from his place between Hermione and Ginny.

"Perhaps there is no time for subtlety; total immersion might be faster than this burning."

Ron thought very carefully about his response. Already tonight Madam Pomfrey had seen more than was supposed to be revealed, yet they had been desperate. However strange seeing four Gryffindor students dressed in a gothic way and carrying weapons might have been, seeing Hermione and Ginny grow tales would be a lot harder to explain away.

"If there's no other way…" Ron trailed off. Their safety was more important than their secret. If this could help to heal Hermione and save his sister then Ron would gladly accept the consequences.

Madame Pomfrey conjured a bucket of water to begin with and she lowered the poor unconscious girl's hand into it. The hand bubbled and the water closed over it, suggesting that some water was indeed coming into contact with the flesh that needed it most. There was a strangely loud sigh from her spectator as he glanced the girl, the water, and back again counting under his breath. She did not have a moment spare to try and fathom the mind of Ronald Weasley.

Ron counted down the seconds and nothing happened. He held his breath but the change never came. This scared him even more deeply than the burn had; it was as though Hermione's magic was gone… as though it was drained entirely.

Unless... a thought pulled his eyes back into focus, what if her power was not necessarily gone, perhaps there was none left to transform her because she was using it to try and cool her hand.

He acted on instinct now, his inner wolf calling to him the safety of familiarity and the healing of pack brothers and sisters and mates. Hermione needed power and she drew that from the Chosen and from her Lake.

Ron blew the glass of the infirmary windows into thousands of pieces as he sent a wind shrieking towards the lake.

"Stand back, Madam Pomfrey." The new strength and purpose in the boy was astounding. The man who stood before the Matron was glowing with power and even through the howl of the wind, she heard him clear as day. She was pushed back from her patient and saw Hermione's hair whipped against the pillows as the spell continued to build.

The wind howled and Madam Pomfrey cowered from it. No, it was not the wind, she realized, but wolves. The wind and the wolves together cried out for … for what?

Ron heard the pack-song join his spell and, as he'd known it would, power surged through him as their symphony rose. This was not a summoning and so the ribbon of water from Hermione's Lake was pulled by the Air and the wolves and their chosen. It flew in defiance of everything proven to be lesser than their combined strength.

Hermione gasped as the water reached her. She threw back her head and arched her back as the blessedly cool water found her. She pulled at it, hearing nothing of the tornado Ron had summoned and held for her; she simply called and the water answered.

Within seconds there was a perfect sphere encasing her from head to foot as she lay on the bed and there the water swayed, hesitating until it found Ginny's hand. Ginny was not pulled under as Hermione had been, but then Ginny could not have survived in her human form.

In this state neither woman was quite conscious and so their magic acted in response to their need. It would heal all that it could and they were approaching the living world once more as the power rode through them to provide a cure.

"Fire." Harry coughed weakly. His state of exhaustion had been self induced, but as one of their group became more powerful, they all seemed to gain a little strength if they were close enough to do so. Equally, as they had seen tonight, if one person fell then the others would have a harder time standing.

"Harry?" Ron forced the sounds to pass easily through the wind.

"For Ginny. She needs a fire to pull strength from." Harry was talking franticly to Ginny (although he could hear no reply) and had only the vaguest idea of what might work, but it was clear that without Ginny and Hermione removing the barrier, they could not be healed.

Ron needed no further provoking; the time for hesitation was past. He called the most powerful fire he could wield into existence and he let it billow across his baby sister. For that moment his heart seemed to have frozen in his chest as he waited for the blood curdling screams to find him.

They never came.

Ron could not tell what was happening in the globe of fire or in the globe of water but it seemed to be under the control of Hermione and Ginny and he could no longer begin to guess if they were awake and in control or not.

Madam Pomfrey cast aside her terror at the spectacle threatening to blow apart her infirmary and with a slight feel of glee she began to force Harry Potter to drink her strongest batch of pepper-up potion as fast as the boy could stand to swallow it. His exhaustion would be gone in moments. This one, at least, she could heal.

Being a witch was not enough to help her understanding of the elemental forces at play within the walls and she had, by necessity, distracted Harry so much that when the explosive mixture of water and fire began to ignite and expand, it was Ron who was the first to act.

Without being aware of it, he'd called his wings into existence and they held him suspended perfectly at the centre of the globe of wind he had formed from the remnants of the wolf-singing wind. He threw himself and all that magic over Harry and Madam Pomfrey at the instant the fire burst outwards and the water hissed as it evaporated.

Ginny and Hermione opened their eyes and saw their franticly clasped hands stretching across the gap between their beds. There was a perfect imprint of Ginny's wings burned into the sheets and mattress upon which she had lain and Hermione saw the iridescent scales laid out in a pattern to match her tail which were now attached stubbornly to the bed upon which she had rested.

As they pulled their hands apart, Ginny saw the deep blue and moonlight-white glove which had replaced her usual black, and Hermione inspected a similar creation in gold and scarlet upon her own wrist.

"What, um… what just happened?" Ginny and Hermione turned as one to look for anyone who might explain the situation to them.

"Ron… just saved… us all" Harry gasped between panting breaths as smoke continued to pour from his ears and he and Ron looked at the formidable figure of Poppy Pomfrey lying across one of her own hospital beds, starring at each of them in a way which demanded a decent explanation.


	37. Heal

Hi all!

As always, thank you for being so patient! Send me a review with any questions or comments – I'll always answer them at the top of the following chapter.

DukeBrymin – well, as requested there is a little bit more of a romabce element here... but the aftermath of last chapter is a bit in the way. Having said that, I do have some plans for Chapter 38!

Me – Glad you like it, hope you like this chapter too.

Valondon – okay! You questioned the Imperious being included in Charms class and the point of that is to look into the nature of the spell, looking at the structure of it and it's effects and the spells related to it etc. But if you remember it was actually assigned by the book and so it wasn't chosen through logic as much as it was matched to their personalities. In the same way that Harry and Ginny were assigned the Iunctura Anima spell – not by any teacher.

Also the question about a conversation in 4 that indicated Ron as having the Black Fox? There's actually a bit missing from that chapter – there are a few lines of dialogue that effectively got eaten by the transition to – Sorry for the confusion, I don't quite know what happened.

maricam25 – Hi there! It's brilliant to hear from you, hope you're doing okay! The gloves are ... a kind of manifestation of the magics used. You see, Hermione's element shouldn't be used by Ginny and vice versa but what they did forced their magic to combine and the gloves are to mark that.

Toghgal - You think so? That's great! I'm really glad that you liked it! Hope you like this chapter too.

Goodygurl – Oh brilliant, I'm glad you liked it! Hope this part makes you smile! Hope you're having a good day.

Here's the next chapter…

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It was an automatic response to open a door when someone knocked at it. Something socialized so thoroughly into both Harry and Hermione that either would have done so without a moment's thought. It was therefore rather unavoidable that when there was a precise rhythm sounded from the far side of the infirmary door, Hermione was too distracted to do anything other than open it.

"Poppy, where is our patient?" Severus had spoken as soon as he heard movement from within the room, and so had not been able to perceive what lay hidden behind it until he found himself gazing at the overly-bright eyes of one Miss Hermione Granger.

"Miss Granger?" Snape drawled to the best of his ability in order to give himself time to suppress a smile.

"I think perhaps you'd better come in, Professor. Unless…" Quickly the girl looked behind herself and made sure to maintain her position – blocking the professor's view of the hospital wing as she did so. "Yes Sir, please come in."

The girl stumbled slightly as she opened the door for him, moving with the wooden structure so that she was concealed and she was able to check that no one had accompanied Snape, nor had anyone been close enough to the infirmary to hear anything which had transpired.

"You won't find anyone." Snape assured her.

"No?" She remained vigilant in her appraisal of the corridor.

"No. There has been some unnamed disturbance in the Gryffindor Common Room. Something, I believe, concerning animals summoned inside the castle."

"A-Animals, Sir?" His pronouncement surprised her enough to look at him and she closed the door behind the two of them as she did.

"Indeed."

"I see, that… is to be expected, I suppose." She murmured under her breath that next time she 'could modify the spell perhaps, or at least do something to contain the noise' Snape smirked as he listened to her unintentional speech; the poor girl did not seem herself that night. It was not often that such a bright and promising talent might be caught off her guard.

Severus took that moment so look around the Hospital Wing and for a moment he was stunned into silence at what he experienced. The most obvious change was that the windows, which had been beautifully think and clear glass were all shattered beyond any thought of repair. Ronald Weasley seemed to be handling the collection of the countless shards and splinters of glass as he waved his hands and murmured intently. Suddenly, like iron finings drawn to a magnet, all of the broken glass in the room began to move itself towards the boy; creeping and flowing across the stone tiles and around any obstacles which lay between the glass and its destination.

After another few moments of concentration, Weasley stepped back leaving the glass to… levitate? No, to spiral in place… the glass pieces rose gently until they were around hip height and then they fell into a more relaxed, circling orbit of that central spiral. Almost in imitation of a whirlwind; a miniature tornado apparently under this Sixth Year's control.

"What…" Snape suppressed an exclamation, he himself wasn't certain if it would have been a curse or an expression of wonder. The two beds nearest the door had been irrevocably altered: the closest shimmered with a haunting and eerie blue sheen, yet it was oddly comforting to behold, almost like watching the deeper parts of the lake or perhaps the endless swell and crash of waves upon the shore. Though each bed had been stripped of its mattress and linen, the structure itself was more than enough to continue such subtly enchanting magic.

The bed slightly further away was glowing, warm and steady and that brought the Potions Master to yet another realization: that it was not cold. Considering it was now the darkest part of the night and that there was not a window to be seen, nor anything being used to block the openings to the night sky, this was highly strange. Yet there was no breath of wind to stir the slow dance of glass across the floor and neither was there any hint of the temperature the night air ought to have been.

"Ginny." Harry spoke from Snape's side.

"Hmm?"

"The bed on the left was Ginny's, that's why the room is warm." Harry pointed. "And since Ron is the only one of us who has not exhausted his power, he's helping to clean."

"You seem rather lively then for someone claiming to be suffering magical-exhaustion." Severus raised an eyebrow as he looked at Harry.

"Yes Sir. Madam Pomfrey makes excellent Pepper-up potion." Harry explained dutifully.

"And where is Poppy?" Severus asked.

"In her office with Ginny and Hermione." Harry supplied.

"Have you managed to explain your actions and… state of dress?" Snape could feel a slight headache building between the stress of the evening and his efforts not to laugh.

"Not as of yet." Harry looked vaguely sheepish. "But perhaps now that you're here she might listen instead of threatening to call St Mungo's."

"Having trouble?" Severus asked the question off-hand but the spark of emotion that Harry failed to conceal before the Potions Master saw it, was enough to make Severus put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Harry?"

"I…We…" Harry shook his head.

Severus paused to consider their options.

"Why not bring Poppy in here? We can explain your situation and then you and I might find time to speak." Their conversation had dropped to hushed tones to prevent Ron from hearing.

Harry did not want to be seen as unconfident or scared until he had sorted through the confused mixture of feelings battling within him. He did not want to scare the others or to say something he would later regret saying. Gratefully he nodded at Snape.

_Gin?_

_Harry! Oh, I'm so glad: I can hear you again._

_I… I don't want to lose your voice like that, Gin. Not ever._ The loss had shaken him to the core; no matter how temporary it had proven to be. This was entirely different from silence due to sleep or to distraction, Ginny's presence had been ripped from his awareness and even though he had still been able to see her, it had felt that he might never get her back.

_Harry, do you think when this is over… I mean, later to night, could we…_

_Will you wait for me? I need to speak with Severus first._

_Of course. _

"I still do not understand why- oh! Severus, you're here." Madam Pomfrey spoke as she exited her office with the two rather bedraggled-looking Gryffindors in her wake.

"As requested." Snape nodded. "Have you need of the potions you suggested I bring?"

"I think not." She looked from one girl to the other and shook her head. "Never in my life have I seen… Severus these children…"

"I know, Poppy."

"No, they are no longer… no longer normal for their age group! They have access to power that - " She shook her head still trying to disbelieve what she had witnessed. "Was this an adverse effect of a spell? Most things I can heal and though they may be enjoying the experience at the moment, in the long run it may be disastrous."

"Madam Pomfrey?" Harry lined up his Chosen and took in the ruined and burnt uniforms they were then remnants of. He saw the disarray of their hair and the frantic haunted-look in their eyes. Harry drew himself up and he reached for Ron's hand at his left. Ron in turn slid an arm around Hermione's waist and Hermione held Ginny's hand safe in her own. The two were not finding it easy to let go as their joined hands had been the thing to save them all tonight. Twice.

Harry took a very slow and very deliberate breath as the connection between the Chosen crawled into life. After another moment Harry felt their power rebuilding itself within all four bodies. The whisper:

"Henge"

Came at once from four mouths and what had once been a ruined and broken group were once more made to look the powerful beings that they were.

Their armour was called flawlessly, black material sliding and caressing and protecting each of them wherever it touched. Then did not have the strength yet to have called wings and so it was the Chosen in their closest-to-normal-looking forms which were called into place.

Harry's loose trousers, belted securely across his hips and the sleeveless t-shirt, the leather guards protecting his forearms and the now-familiar weight of his sword settling into place on his back comforted him more than anything else might have.

Ron smiled to himself as he felt his legs covered by his slightly closer-fitting armour as his sword pressed it's comforting weight against his thigh. His gloves and t-shirt were whole once more and reflexively he clenched his hands into fists to feel the give of the material.

When Hermione felt her dress form more securely around her; the ripped neckline and burned-away sections of skirt instantly repaired, she did note that although her sword and daggers were in place, her left hand remained coated in that fire-glow glove showing the remnants of the power she and Ginny had shared.

Similarly, Ginny was pleased to realize that the moon-and-deep-water symbol which had covered her right hand seemed to have become a permanent part of her transformation as that glove remained when its black counterpart materialized on her left hand. Her skirt, shorts and strapless top were all as they should be and she could feel her sword suspended against her hip.

"Madam Pomfrey we are not playing at this" Harry began.

"This is not the after-effect of a spell." Ron stepped up, situating himself at his Alpha's side.

"This change is of our making" Hermione too, stepped forward. "It was always within us: the potential to become this."

"Become what?" Madam Pomfrey gasped, half in fear and half in awe.

"Chosen." Ginny smiled at the simple statement.

"These insufferable Gryffindor students have been chosen to protect the school." Snape's sarcasm got through to Poppy when combined with the transformation she had just witnessed and the displays of gargantuan amounts of power which had occurred earlier that night.

"B-But that's a legend… it was never supposed to be real!" Poppy felt her knees growing weak. Harry noticed and used a flick of his wrist to move a wooden chair into place behind her so that she would not fall.

"I assure you, dear woman, that it is indeed real." Snape was not one prone to flights of fancy. If he believed, then…

"Does Albus know?" She asked breathlessly.

"Of course. Both he and Minerva are aware." Severus nodded.

"No one else." Harry insisted.

"And tonight's visit?" Poppy turned to the students. "What happened?"

"There was a fight." Harry spoke shortly, not wanting to go into detail.

"We didn't have the power or the spells left for healing." Hermione met the eyes of the matron. "I think normally I'd have been able to do something."

"Normally we'd have at least been able to get here," Harry spoke quietly. "It shouldn't have been left to Ron like that – I was reckless."

"You were scared." Ginny interrupted. "We were all terrified. We made it to the castle, and Madam Pomfrey was here to help."

Poppy had not held out much hope for the outcome of the war. There were not many who expected the Light to make a miraculous strike against the Dark Lord's forces. Yet these children, chosen or not, seemed to be offering a real chance at more than the total defeat which would be suffered if the war played out with the sides as they were currently seen to be.

"What of your opponent? Or was this training?" She found herself asking the question even as she realized that doing so would likely not help the mental state of the Gryffindor students.

All four of the group flinched to varying degrees.

"He has been subdued." Harry spat the words, not wanting them in contact with him. Not wanting to confront the implications of the night until he could do so with someone who understood.

Poppy looked at the boy, no, the man before her. Harry Potter had always been destined for a hard life. There had been no doubt at all about that. Now he stood having been shaped and chiseled into a strong and powerful man when he should have been little more than a boy. He should have been a teenager stealing kisses between classes and finding excuses not to do any work.

What the world had made of Harry Potter would have called tears to her eyes.

But he was not alone. He had carried his burdens alone for the most part and this had won him the loyalty of his friends and now they were making the pledge to share them. The group before her had tied their fates to each others, they had bonded as a group and had become close enough to form a tie which would endure anything. The four adults were what the Dark Lord had forged and they were going to be working as one, to take on his vast and unrelenting army.

"Mister Potter?" Poppy's voice shook and she bowed deliberately to Hogwarts' Chosen Protectors. "If you should ever have need of me. No matter what the wound and no matter what the time. I don't mean to judge you. I will always be here to help."

"Thank you." Harry sighed happily, sensing the acceptance of the Witch and knowing she would be a powerful ally and that she would likely be sorely needed in the time to come.

"In that case it should be straight to bed for all of you." This time she spoke with affection, letting the students see that she cared for them.

Harry nodded to the other Chosen and they turned to make the journey back up to the tower.

"A moment, Mister Potter." Snape called out to Harry before he could leave. Harry nodded once more at his friends and the group left without him.

"Thank you, Sir." Harry stilled.

Harry watched while Snape spoke to Madam Pomfrey for a while and then he simply waited for their conversation to end. Eventually Harry and Snape were left alone in the hospital wing.

Not wanting to begin the conversation, Harry looked over at the empty windows and reached out with thoughts of Earth and the intention of forming glass. Snape's hand on his arm stopped him.

"No distractions, Potter, and no avoidance." They met each other's eyes squarely.

"Yes." Harry sat on one of the nearby beds and Professor Snape took a seat opposite him.

"What transpired to bring you here?" Severus asked gently, knowing that Harry was fighting to keep his emotions in check.

"I killed a man." Harry could not meet Snape's eyes as the confession hissed past his teeth. "I killed him and no matter what else, no matter how I might hate the thought of it, that fact won't change."

There was a peace of sorts that descended upon the two figures as Severus absorbed the words. Harry Potter has finally shown a glimpse of what he could do for the war and the man was left to mourn that loss of humanity within himself. There was no small amount of pride to be seen in the Potion Master's eyes as he looked at the Sixth Year student. "You killed?"

"Yes. I made sure." Harry shook slightly.

"Potter… Harry." Severus waited for the Gryffindor to meet his eyes. "What you have done, the step you have taken is an important one. No matter what your moral compass may say, you know in your head that such a step was necessary. It may not comfort you now with the blood fresh and the pain raw, but in time you may see it to be the truth."

"I-"

"I am not going to comfort you with lies, Harry. I am giving you the truth tonight." Severus saw Harry's understanding that this was intended as a mark of great respect and the Gryffindor squared his shoulders and held his chin higher as Severus spoke. "You will take many more steps down the path tonight has set you on."

"You will walk a path similar in darkness to my own." The eye-contact between the two men was unbreakable. "You will take each step with your friends at your side and your heart will remain pure. In this battle against the darkness, you may rest assured that whatever your actions may be, your soul will always be joined with the light."

The speech and it's vote of utter confidence brought tears to Harry's eyes.

"I was once told something remarkably similar, by your mother." Severus confided. "You will succeed where I have not, Harry. I believe that a good part of your success may be due to the presence of your Chosen and the fact that you are on the right side in this war."

"There will be more deaths to come, but there is no shame in that."

"Sir, how can that be?" Harry tried valiantly to keep his voice steady. "How can it be … acceptable for me to kill, and for me to ask my friends to do the same."

"We fight for a tomorrow that will dawn brighter than today." Snape smiled a far-away smile as he pictured the scene. It was the same picture as always: a world where the Potion's Master of Hogwarts truly was the most terrifying thing of all: where true evil and malice were a thing of the past.

"Very poetic." Harry tried to chuckle even as the sound was strangled by tears.

"Hold on to it Potter. Hold on with all the strength you have got and we'll all get there eventually." Snape trailed off, not having intended to make so much of a speech.

"Thank you, Sir." Harry was sincere in his thanks. He could begin to imagine now, something of what Snape's life might have entailed. The picture was a grim one, but Snape had come so far and it was time for someone else to help relieve the man's burdens. There was only so much that men such as Dumbledore were permitted to do. Indeed there was only so much the man could do. In order to be a help and a comfort when living with this kind of darkness, one had to have experienced it themselves.

Harry knew that Snape would always accept without thought, and he would not reject Harry even in whatever darker times were left to come. Assuming there would be a Harry left to console then Severus would do so. This was different than the help Ginny could offer him, and different again from what help Ron and Hermione would offer. They would need each other unquestioningly and the four would always be there: bound tighter than family. However Harry needed to be able to talk to someone stronger than himself. Snape could let Harry be terrified and weak in a way that Harry wouldn't want to let the others see unless he had to. Not because they would think less of him, or because they might lose hope or any other sentimental reason, Harry didn't want them to see him as weak because … because …

"Professor?" Harry asked. "I don't want to show the others when I'm afraid, but I don't want them to think I'm not feeling the fear. I mean… Well, what I mean… "

"You don't want to worry them?"

"Yes, that's it exactly." Harry sighed to have the words spoken. He was too wound up to articulate clearly and he was glad of the help in explaining his thoughts.

Severus understood.

The two men spent a few minutes more in conversation and then walked to the door of the hospital wing together before they parted ways as the castle led them apart.

…………………………………………………………………

_Gin?_

_Are you nearly here?_

_Yes… where is everyone?_ Harry asked as he made his way through the startlingly empty Gryffindor Common Room. He'd expected nothing short of a riot by the time he got there.

_I think we can thank Professor McGonagall for the quiet. _Ginny was half way through changing for bed, she'd pulled her shirt-like pajama top into place and was fiddling with the buttons as she waited for Harry to arrive. She had something planned for Harry… something selfish. She wanted him to be everything he hinted at – wanted him masterful and dominant and powerful. Ginny wanted him to love her until it hurt and she couldn't shake herself of the urge tonight. Normally this wasn't like her, the near-frantic need driving her thoughts at the moment was probably driven of the panic and the adrenaline and the sheer relief at having survived… but for now she needed to be selfish with Harry; to ask him to make her sure she was real.

If he asked, she'd do the same for him. She would do anything he asked. Anything he needed. That was the way their bond worked – everything was as perfectly reciprocal as possible they each knew with perfect certainty how far the other would go for them. The control came about because they were careful of what they actually asked of the other. Ginny wasn't sure if this was crossing a line or not… was she using Harry tonight? Knowing he would let her have him only increased her confusion.

She, Ron and Hermione had come to the same realization as Harry: that they would have trouble getting back to their common room when the Gryffindor Students were filling their own room so excitedly. Their relief at finding the pathway clear was palpable, particularly considering the speed at which their magic was returning to them. They assumed it would be back to full strength tomorrow afternoon and perhaps sooner if they spent more time together between now and then.

Harry, for his part, was shedding clothes as he crossed their empty common room. Ron and Hermione were hidden away behind their door and when he joined Ginny in their room he found her wearing only a shirt which hung to mid-thigh.

Ginny looked up to see Harry apparently wearing only his trousers, if his mussed hair and the barely visible sock behind him were any indication she suspected the trail would lead her right to the door of their common room.

"I, um…" Ginny began as she lowered her hands from the buttons of the shirt.

"Yeah." Harry was equally speechless as he took in his girlfriend.

"What I asked before-" Ginny began, suddenly nervous.

"You wanted to talk?" Harry smiled reassuringly as he hid some of the less refined plans for their evening he had been hoping to try behind the facade of politeness.

"Talk?" Ginny blinked up at him. "No, I wanted…"

Harry watched her blush as she took a breath and began to approach him.

"Harry I want to feel alive." Ginny's voice dropped to a near whisper as Harry's knees gave up their fight to support him and he sat down hard on their bed.

"Gin-" Harry had never seen her take charge like this. Normally Ginny enjoyed seducing him with whispered suggestions and quiet entireties. She was not usually the one to be aggressive in her pursuit of him. She liked to entertain his thoughts with possibilities and see his will crumble until he came searching for her. Ginny enjoyed that most of all; she enjoyed the discovery that he wanted her every single time he came looking.

Harry loved it as well; those last frantic moments of searching until there was skin upon skin and all rational thought was drowned out by the sheer sensation of their actions … it was a million times more powerful than he had expected lust or love to be… and it was Ginny who had inspired such need within him. For that he would worship her if she would allow it, he would love her and protect her from this moment until his last.

Today though, he saw Ginny's more demanding side, her more dominant stance which was a far cry from the playfulness she usually showed. Harry, generally speaking, enjoyed taking charge when they were alone… tonight however…

Tonight…

Harry was losing his own train of thought as Ginny crossed the room to where he sat, slightly wide-eyed on their bed.

She dropped the shirt as she walked revealing her underwear to be black and Harry suddenly had the notion that he'd never appreciated black as colour quite as much as he did now. He saw the black lace hugging her curves and trailing across her pale flesh, concealing all that Harry wanted most.

_t-that's … you look…_

Ginny bit her lip to suppress a smile – this wasn't the time for laughter. Privately she was thrilled that Harry had reacted so thoroughly to her, it made her feel daring, powerful even.

"How do I look?" She stilled in her movement, she was within Harry's reach but a small shake of her head told him not to touch her yet.

"Wonderful." His eyes devoured her. "Amazing. Beautiful."

"Yes?" she knew him well enough that she could see the question burning in his eyes.

"Are..um… are there shoes? To go with the underwear?" Harry blushed as he spoke. It wasn't often that they could be so far away from their school-uniformed selves and this distinctly mature and seductive Ginny would look twice as stunning in heels.

"Of course." They were conjured discreetly, along with the scraps of black lace, before Harry had found her. She slid her feet into the pitch black stiletto heels and was glad almost at once for the balancing charm she had cast on them as they blossomed into existence.

Harry wasn't aware of making the decision to move, but Ginny was suddenly warm and real in his arms and tall enough to meet his eyes perfectly as she stood before him.

He kissed her as she drew breath in surprise and he slid his hands into her hair as he failed to suppress the growl low in his throat.

THIS was what she wanted. She craved this above all – she had tried to seem in control and let Harry think she wanted to lead their actions… it was not true. She wanted the fight, wanted to be overpowered and overcome. Ginny wanted to burn under Harry's guidance.

The magic came to them then, although neither was aware of calling it into existence. The power called a glow to them, leaving traces of power where they touched and drifting in the air in their wake. The soft golden glow filled them as they reached hungrily for each other and it calmed their movements enough that when Harry's control snapped and he threw Ginny from her position kneeling over him and pinned her wrists together with enough force to break bones, she was merely bruised. In response, when Ginny bit down hard enough on Harry's shoulder that the skin should have bled, the force was lessened.

The time that followed saw the magic cushioning every vivid movement and drawing the force from each desperate press of flesh. However there was only so much it could do. The Chosen were broken that night and their façade of normalcy and control was only paper-thin. The force of their actions betrayed their true panic and fear and ongoing desperation. Harry and Ginny came together powerfully and violently as they each worked through their feelings while the other kept pace. The magic did what it could to keep them from inflicting any real damage yet they would both feel the monumental sting and burn of their actions when the morning light found them.

The golden light continued to build in their room as a silver light blossomed from beneath the door which, if either of the couple had been aware of it's presence, they might have realized was coming form the room shared by Ron and Hermione. The light itself was a magical fire burning out of the need for control between the couples, feeding upon their nervous energy; dispelling their power so that they did not damage anything or anyone. The elements themselves guided that careful power in order to keep their gifted humans safe.

The elements could not empathize; could understand what the loss of a human life meant to the four who had taken it. They would never understand the irretrievable cost of innocence that marked the descent more clearly than any of the fantastic powers wielded by the Chosen towards the war which awaited. Only the Chosen themselves could bear that burden and tonight even they could not bring themselves to speak of it. There was a glimmer of hope that would come with the dawn – that when the anger and bitterness, the rage and loss and the adrenaline-fueled panic had subsided… there would be the opportunity to speak and to understand what had transpired.

For now there was only the night. The raw shouts and the half-desperate screams, the moans of agony laced with pleasure and ecstasy with a diamond hard edge of pain. The pain kept everything real and immediate – kept the pleasure braced against the real world and kept the focus of the Chosen where it was demanded by the needs of their bodies and minds. There was no place that night for softer forms of comfort, nor was there any demand for it. All the Chosen reveled in the sensation even as it pained them – it was precisely and undeniably what they craved in order to cope with all that the day before had brought them to. This was not a night to be repeated for them, this was a night to strengthen their resolve and to allow them to grow faster and stronger in the morning.


	38. Regroup

Hello All!

chat noire – Hi there! Actually for Wings Harry is Earth, but what is it that makes you think Air for him? It's an interesting idea! Goodygurl – It's been ages, hasn't it? One day i'll shock you and post chapters in a reliable way! … I hope! Anyway I hope you're still out there reading and i'm really happy that you liked the last chapter. I love to hear from you, always! Hope things are going well for you! Hanzo of the Salamander – Thank you so much for your review – you made my day maricam25 – Hello again! Always makes me smile to see your name on my Review alerts! As requested there's a little more of Draco this time and... I'm pretty sure there'll be more next time as well! As for the gloves, you're going to have to wait a while for that one. Sorry about the massively long wait for the chapter. Hope you're wellblack fox mist – now that it a rather fantastic name, I have to say! And for every chapter you review i'll always post a reply here – hope to hear from you soon! And, of course, hope you like the new chapter. Keigai O Yain – thank you so much! I have to say that I love writing the vampire-parts for Harry and yeah, I understand your thoughts on the Moonlight element … it's actually inspired by Sailor Moon in an odd way – which I may be remembering wrong but I think she had a pen early on in the series that would disguise her – I kind of ran with that! Haha. EternalSleep – I am a huge Tamora Pierce fan too! I love all her books, but I wish she'd write the new ones about Numair soon wizmage – brilliant! I'm happy you liked it! DukeBrymin - Hi again, so great to hear from you. Yeah it was actually really fun to write Harry and Ginny because I didn't want them to be too same-y it was good to change things a little! Chrissy – How are you? Hope things are good?

Hermione and Ginny had both, over several different times and throughout almost all of the past year, considered the friendship they had developed. Before being Chosen, the two would have said they shared an acquaintance… even a close acquaintance but it was born of their having Ron and Harry in common as opposed to their shared interests.

In fact neither girl had supposed they would have a great deal in common with the other and although their relationship was at a comparatively shallow level, they each liked the other even if Ginny was slightly silly in Hermione's opinion and Hermione was in turn rather prissy in Ginny's.

This had never at all been a problem and indeed if they had not been Chosen they might well have developed a deeper friendship over the years. It was unlikely that it would have happened at Hogwarts but both girls had envisioned their future involving a lot of time at the Burrow and eventually the conversation would have sparked. Ginny would have revealed her strength of will and her powerful magic, which was far better understood in the areas which interested her than her grades would indicate. Hermione would then have reciprocated the new level of understanding, showing Ginny that beneath her obstinate streak there was a deep rooted sense of fun and a rather Slytherin-like mind which Ginny would find utterly amusing and Hermione would delight in finally having a close female friend.

However the two girls were Chosen and thrust towards adulthood before they understood anything at all about what had happened. Ginny went from a very well liked outsider to a core member of their group and found herself so thoroughly cut off from everyone else she had known (in terms of friendship) that she struggled to think of even three conversations she'd had with a friend from previous years over the last few months that was not in some way related to the DA.

Hermione was also aware of the change. She had learned long ago – a brutal lesson taught by other children at her Primary School, that she did not play well with others because she was not permitted to do so. She was deemed too different, too strange. Too clever. At Hogwarts this had continued until Harry and then Ron had seen her and had liked and accepted the person they found. Hermione was perfectly good at sustaining acquaintanceships and she was always trying to be helpful to others… but to suddenly be presented with such an unknown person as Ginny who was desperately in need of a friend should have been a great challenge to Hermione as she ought not to have had the social skills to deal with a girl on equal terms – when had she ever had an opportunity for practice?

The two Gryffindors found themselves cut off from all they had known and saw their small social worlds irrevocably altered and rather than mourning this change, they had embraced it and found a depth of friendship which spoke of years in the making rather than months. They knew that the magic helped: they had each experienced so much during the past year that if the conversation had ever flagged they were able to find hours more simply by discussing their being Chosen and all that had gone with the choice.

They had found the other to be a witty and brilliantly fun companion – they had found another to balance their group when they had not realized that such balance was needed. Ginny's inclusion had been unthinking when it ought to have jarred spectacularly against the trio-that-was and particularly against her brother. Ginny knew that before being chosen, she and Ron would have been at each other's necks before now yet they had grown up enough that such responses had never even occurred to them. The friendship between the four and particularly between the two girls had grown fast and strong and they were all eternally grateful to have their group structured in such a way as to give every member a companion with which to discuss the others, no matter what the combination might be. Harry and Hermione were closer than family, meaning that there was nothing which might be said between Ron and his sister which might not be equaled by the other two. More importantly Ron and Harry could discuss anything which required a more… male perspective, leaving Hermione and Ginny to support each other when it came to their own experiences.

Other than that, the Chosen were… without established friends in the conventional way. Harry would be quick to admit that they now counted Draco Malfoy as a friend and after a moment's grin Ginny and Hermione would both gladly do the same. Ron's admittance would have been slower but no less valid. Snape as well would now be listed as one of Harry's friends and Hermione would include Lavender in hers with Ginny pensively doing the same. There were also Neville and Luna to consider, who were definitely friends even though the Chosen saw little of them outside of DA meetings. The same might come to be said of Blaise someday as he continued to pull his weight alongside the others.

The other friends, the ones from previous years had become... they had not been forgotten or deliberately ignored, yet there had been no time to see them. Again this had been less noticeable in the Trio than with Ginny but still it had occurred. There would be time, someday, she told herself there would be time to speak with them again soon. Yet at the same time, Ginny did not feel their loss because of all she had gained.

The Chosen had changed so thoroughly that their old life was something distant and ill fitting, though no less loved or fondly remembered. They knew with a sense of utter sincerity that they would not go back to how things had once been, and that they would not want to go back. They knew that they were moving forwards; they were changing still into something new – something useful to the war but also something that better expressed the people they truly were deep down and with no pretenses or cautions.

There was one… not 'problem'; that was the wrong word… but one small hitch with the quartet. That was the fact that Ron and Ginny were related and so no matter how desperately needed one particular kind of conversation might be, in was always slightly awkward in that in order for Hermione and Ginny to share their experiences with their respective partners, there were in fact discussing Ginny's brother in a way Ginny had never ever wanted to think about.

However on some days, that conversation truly was a necessity.

Hermione was curled, no… huddled, on the lilac sofa in their small common room and she appeared to think she was alone. Hermione was wearing an oversized version of her school shirt, one that she had clearly enlarged so that the material was baggy enough not to press against her skin. She wore underwear beneath the light material but that was all. She had pulled her hair unto a messy bun so that it was away from her face and had summoned enough water to cover the top of their coffee table perfectly. She had held it there and after a few minutes spend murmuring spells over the surface, she had created a mirror taller and wider then she was which she then commanded to stand upright so that she had a clear view of herself.

"Oh…" Hermione had expected there to be… marks. Yet there was something deeply alarming in that there was a recognizable pattern of claw marks littered across her skin – never too deep, but clearly defined against her pale skin. The bleeding had only been shallow.

"Hermione, what happened?" Ginny was leaning against the door frame watching her friend.

"Nothing-"

"Hermione!"

"Well it's…" Hermione bit her lip knowing that Ginny would not appreciate detail. "Ron and I, we were… Last night."

"…Oh!" Ginny blushed with the realization. "sorry."

"No, don't be sorry!" Hermione guided the 'mirror' back onto the table so she could twist to face Ginny. "To be honest, I'd rather talk."

"I...err...I know what you mean." Ginny sank gratefully onto the sofa next to the brunette girl but she was overcome with nerves as she sat.

"I don't really know where to start." Hermione too felt the sudden tension and both girls rightly identified the reason for it. "Ron wasn't... he didn't ask me to do anything"

"Harry too!" Ginny jumped into the conversation, blushing slightly but determined to speak with Hermione – she needed a friend today. "If anything I was the one who started things"

Hermione nodded. "I... propositioned Ron. It had been a while and after last night I just wanted, actually I think I needed it. I needed to feel something real."

"Something alive?" Ginny smiled now, managing to ignore her brother's name an focus on the shared feeling of desperation both girls had endured.

"It's funny..." Hermione's eyes went distant as she thought of something. "they say that... when there's a war and the soldiers come home, they say that the birth rate jumps up in that country."

"Really?" Ginny was surprised.

"honestly. After wars I suppose people are so glad to have survived that they just have to like that bit more thoroughly." Hermione smiled a little at her words.

"It's normal then? Feeling like we did" Ginny asked with a look of worry.

"Maybe not normal exactly, I don't suppose many people have done what we did. But I think it's … well I wouldn't imagine it's anything to worry about." The older girl tried to offer some comfort.

"The bruises will show." Ginny sighed at her arm.

"I thought I wanted..." Hermione mused as she studied Ginny. "No, I did want this. Last night I needed it."

"So did I" the redhead nodded.

"Only now I'm intimidated by it." Hermione considered her words carefully. "we've been a little adventerous before, but..."

"Nothing quite like this." Ginny's understanding was clear. She and Harry had inflicted a bruise or two themselves, but always in fun.

Hermione seemed to be covered in a multitude of small scratches as though there had been claws upon her skin rather than hands – something Hermione hoped she would be able to pass off as an encounter with a particularly bad tempered Crookshanks rather than a magic-fueled date with her boyfriend.

Ginny on the other hand was peppered with bruises on every patch of visible skin and more than often they were positioned in obvious hand prints.

Hermione giggled. She had been so tense over the past few days – they all had – she needed the release.

"They'll think he hit you." Hermione couldn't explain where they laughter came from, because she knew the reality of this kind of abuse was not a laughing matter, but the fact that people might imagine Harry hurting Ginny was SO absurd that she had to laugh. "Harry! They'll actually think he could!"

Ginny too found herself wildly amused by the thought – no matter how inappropriate it might have been - in that moment she was tickled by it.

"He wouldn't!" Ginny chortled. "Not ever!"

"I know!" Hermione snickered. "That's the point!"

It was several minutes later when the two girls managed to calm enough that their hysterical laughter faded. They felt a touch of guilt for laughing at Harry but at they same time, they both felt as through the identical knots of worry they felt as though they had been carrying in their stomachs had lessened a little.

"Sorry, Ginny." Hermione offered, wiping a tear from her eye.

Ginny waved a hand absently. "It's nothing."

"I wouldn't really want to repeat it though, would you?" Hermione commented as she began to let the substance of her mirror flow back into water which she then directed to one of the sinks in the bathroom.

"No." Ginny was firm. "I mean... I don't mind things being a little spirited, but leaving bruises and cuts like last night is a bit far for me."

"I thought You might not mind, seeing as Harry has fangs sometimes?"

"That's... well, there might be magic in it, it doesn't hurt like this does, it's... it's cushioned somehow if Harry bites me." Ginny shook her head "It's hard to explain."

"No, I see what you mean." Hermione assured her. "So last night isn't something to repeat?"

"Not for me. No." Ginny shared a smile with Hermione.

"You have no idea how glad I am to hear you say that." Harry kissed Ginny's cheek as he slid onto the sofa between the two girls. He had heard only the very end of their conversation but was overjoyed to find his own opinion matched theirs.

"Morning Harry." Hermione smiled.

"Hi." Ginny offered belatedly.

"What happened to Ron?" Harry twisted to look at the doorway to Ron and Hermione's room.

"Still asleep." Hermione said. "Actually when I left he was still glowing. Things like last night make me think I'll never learn to expect Elemental Magic."

"Do you think it'll happen again?" Ginny inquired.

"Probably not unless we called it again." Harry sighed. "I didn't realize at the time but we were all so desperate and we used so much power. I think we summoned it."

"Is that possible? We've never managed it before, not summoning anything sentient at least. Unless the familliars count." Hermione considered.

"Well I don't really have a good idea about what happened but as an explanation for now it's the best I can do." Harry shrugged a little helplessly.

"It's fine, Harry. Besides, last night calling a bit of spare power into existence was the least of our worries." Ginny reminded them.

"That's true. Actually, I was planning to find Professor McGonagall today to talk about the animals. It sounded like a riot out there." Harry had almost forgotten that the commotion had also taken place the night before.

"Why don't I do that?" Hermione asked with steely determination in her eyes.. "That way you can get the map set up again?"

"So soon?" Harry looked at his friend with pride. Hermione was so much stronger than he'd ever expected.

"The sooner the better." Hermione was firm and Ginny nodded too. "If we're nervous or scared going into a fight then the Deatheaters have half won."

"I'll get Ron up then." Ginny offered. "Why don't we meet out at the lake?"

"Lake?" Hermione questioned.

"We need to practice catching you, so a soft landing is probably better." The redhead winked at Hermione as Harry spoke.

"Good point." Hermione nodded.

Harry glanced out of the window and then looked back at the women with a wide grin. "Tell you want, I'll reset the map and then wait for Ron, and you two brilliant people can go and find us some food?"

"Too lazy to walk to the kitchens, Potter?" Ginny teased.

"Much." He agreed easily.

"We'll take pity on him this once." Hermione offered. "But you'll owe us."

"Okay, deal." Harry smiled.

The women waved and then disappeared briefly into their respective rooms to dress for the day. Normally they might have simply worn their Armour, but that would expose more skin than either girl felt like displaying at the moment.

Harry followed Ginny soundlessly.

"I am sorry, you know." He made her jump visibly as he spoke.

"Don't DO that!" she calmed her nerves as he hid a grin.

"But it's so fun." He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back against his chest. "And I am sorry."

"I started it." She reminded him gently. "And this one was me." She traced her fingers over a bite on his hand.

"But this..." Harry pressed his lips against a bite mark on her shoulder bared by the loose neck of her shirt. "This..." he parted his lips to touch the wound with his tongue. "...was me."

She shivered in his grasp.

"And this..." Harry reached around her to undo the buttons at her front so that he could remove the material she wore.

"And this..." each comment was accompanied by the soft teasing press of his tongue against her raw body.

"Harry." she moaned and she smiled. "This isn't helping our plans for the day."

"Do you care?" He paused in his mistreations withdrawing that luscious tongue from her skin.

"Not at all."she admitted truthfully. "But Hermione might come looking for us."

That, Harry would rather not risk happening.

"Fair point." he admitted, though his disappointment was clear.

Ginny turned to face him and glanced back at the door.

"Well, perhaps we have a few minutes?"

It was almost an hour later when the small group finally assembled at the lake. Each looked distinctly warn from the activities of the last forty eight hours. In more than one sense they were all thoroughly exhausted yet each was eager to improve and to continue in their work. They were beginning to count on the sense that their proximity to each other would play a large role in reviving and healing them, both in body and mind, and so were happy to practice as a unit.

It's funny," Ron broke the pensive silence as they looked around their group and mentally tallied the marks, both physical and mental, that the night before and their attack on the Deatheater had left upon them. "The whole time I kept thinking: we're just kids! Why is it that we have to do this? But... but we aren't just kids, are we?"

The group looked at Ron and Harry smiled at his friend and nodded for him to continue. He and Ron had discussed this already and Ron knew Harry agreed totally.

"We aren't just kids. We haven't been for a while... and not just since we were Chosen, it started before that. All our lives really, but more since we came to Hogwarts – we were never like the rest of the kids in out classes."

"No, we weren't." Ginny agreed easily, there were so many instances she could think of... many surrounding a diary.

"And now," Hermione continued Ron's train of thought. "Now we're different"

"Yeah. Now we're ready to survive this. Ready to be peoples' best bet at winning."

"Last night." Harry chipped in and the others turned gladly to him. "There were a lot of things which went wring and we still made it out alive. More than that we did what we went there to do. How many others do you think could have done that? Planned on the fly like we had do – fallen from mid air and made sure their target deserved their attention? Then how many might have been spotted and fought back? How many do you think would have been able to chase a target down like we did? And had back up plans in place in case one of us needed help."

Harry paused for breath.

"If I'd failed at the end. If I hadn't killed him. Ron could have hunted him as a wolf, Ginny could have lit up the whole valley to find him and Hermione could have drowned him where he stood if it came to it."

"We weren't beaten – we overcame the obstacles we faced. We might have lacked practice, we might be new to this, but we're good enough to survive." Harry spoke with utter faith in them as a unit. They could do this and each time they did they would get a little better at it until it started to feel like the might just win someday.

Ron spoke up next. "Right now we have a lot of fancy toys and flashy moves, but what good is it unless we practice?"

Ginny nodded. "We know where to start. That's enough for now, I hope. We need a way to keep Hermione from falling when we leave the portal. it's too much of an obvious weakness if the Deatheaters realize."

Ron was trying his utmost to have faith in Harry and the Chosen and he was getting there but at the same time he felt an impatient need – to be out there and to be saving people because there were so very many people on that map that they needed to save.

Ron had heard the others talking in the castle, scores of people; the crowds at Hogwarts. He'd heard them talking because Draco made him listen and people were turning in their beliefs, wavering and siding with the Deatheaters. Granted there were some families more at risk than others, but it was by no means a phenomenon limited to the elder students or the students of Slytherin.

Until the Chosen could offer a viable alternative, until the Light could be seen to be making some small headway against the Darkness of Voldemort's forces then how could they possibly expect their fellow students to have faith in them?

Hermione turned to Harry who had brought with him the map of England they had created. In the top left hand corner of the map was a gold letter H and when activated that portal would lead them home. Harry had created it moments before and for their purposes today it would open five meters above the center of Hermione's Lake.

For Ginny, setting the fire at the school's windows was becoming second nature now and so she had the power in place with barely more than a thought and a casual flick of her fingers. The death of the man last night made her glad in a way because she had felt guilt over it even though she had been completely and unwaveringly certain that the Deatheater had to be stopped. She was glad of the guilt because it made her feel human – she never wanted to be so callous that she could kill or be involved with killing without that guilt.

When they had rescued Hermione, they had all been ill because of their actions, she and Harry had taken turns dashing to the bathroom to throw up as the memories of those they had killed haunted them through the night. Last night there had been no illness and part of her worried that it was because she was growing accustomed to killing.

Hermione's fall from the portal was a problem which would take practice. There was no way to give her wings that they knew of with any permanency and she already had three elemental magics in her. There was no way to guarantee that a fourth wouldn't unbalance her.

"There is one simple way around it." Hermione looked up at Ron's voice. "Which is for us to land first and then wait for Hermione so we can be sure to catch her."

"Which works fine if we have the time to wait" Harry added.

"I know." Ron sighed.

"Unless it's even more simple than that?" Ginny mused with no real idea of where her sentence would go. "Is there anyone best to catch her?"

"Ron, presumably?" Hermione suggested. "he'd likely be fastest."

"But I'd be a target while I waited in the air." Ron was willing to be that target every time if it would save Hermione.

"Ginny and I should go first then, perhaps?" Harry suggested. "If we have that extra few moments then we can be waiting – clear a space in the Deatheaters if there are any and then send a signal back for you?"

"I can send a signal through the magic, I'm sure!" Ginny brightened as her confidence in the plan grew.

"This could work." Harry started to grin. "If Ron and Hermione travel together then even of they do lose the familliars-"

"I bet I can still catch her." Ron accepted the challenge.

Hermione, for her part, didn't enjoy the fact that she couldn't do more to save herself but she understood that this was not the kind of situation where burying herself in research was likely to yield any answers. The best thing she could do was to be here and to practice until she could do this without a moment of hesitation. It took a great deal of courage to launch herself into freefall knowing that she could not save herself.

Harry and Ginny did not need to practice their arrival in the same way – they more needed to practice riding the magic itself and so were able to do so without interfering with the landscape of Hogwarts. Once Ginny had found that her small globe of conjured fire could indeed be ordered through the portal and to Hermione's side and therefore made a suitable signal that the path was clear and Ron and Hermione should enter the portal, she and Harry were able to relax in the knowledge that they had to practice traveling and fighting. These subjects they felt they had a good chance of mastering eventually.

"Okay." Harry stretched and called his armour. "Shall we give it a try?"

The others nodded and stood up, forming a loose line at the edge of the lake. Armour was called easily, as were their respective familliars.

Darkmane greeted Harry with his usual deep purr and Harry once more found it to be oddly comforting any exhilarating at the same time. Burying his hands in the warmth of the lion's mane, Harry swung himself up onto his steed's back and grinned wickedly as Darkmane yawned widely.

_Bored, Harry?_Ginny asked with a sly smile in his direction.

_Not at all, but I've had a busy morning, don't you think?_

Ginny's mental laughter continued as she gave a small jump at the same time Silversong echoed the movement. This gave Ginny the extra push she needed to be able to swing her leg across Silversong's back without becoming tangled in the War Unicorn's wings. The movement looked graceful enough now but it had been frankly hilarious as the pair learned to coordinate their jumps and had resulted on Ginny landing sharply on her backside more times than any of the Chosen had managed to count.

Ginny could tell by the way Harry was trying valiantly not to let his amusement show that he was remembering her many failed attempts at riding her familiar.

_Oh sure, laugh it up_ She grinned over at him. _I could have been hurt, you know._

_it was funny, Gin._

_yeah, I know._

_Besides, it took Ron a lot longer than you to get the hang of it._

Ginny smiled at the memory. _I suppose... but then birds aren't supposed to be ridden in the first place, are they?_

_No... he does well to manage it. He looks kind of heroic up there, don't you think?_

_Says the man riding a winged lion?_

"Err... Harry?"

Harry's attention snapped back to reality.

"W-What?" he blushed.

Hermione shot he and Ginny a knowing look an whispered something derogatory about 'lovebirds'.

"Are you two ready?" Ron had moved over to position the map, apparently hanging in thin air. Which, technically, it was. Ron was rather proud of that particular piece of magic.

"There's one more thing." Harry nudged Darkmane forwards until they were alongside Ron and Truthsong.

"Oh?"

"Is the plan for Ron to fly to catch you?" Harry looked to his Beta for confirmation.

"It was going to be." Ron turned to look at Hermione and Ginny. "Unless there's another way?"

"Oh," Hermione had meant to mention this before. She looked over at Harry "Is it the armour?"

"Yeah. How do the wings-"

"Ron and I looked at the spell last night." She smiled.

Ron concentrated hard for an instant and then whispered 'Henge' for the second time. Now he wore seemingly the same outfit from the front, but from behind it was clear that the majority of the armour which would have covered his back and thereby restricted his wings was missing.

"Wow." Ginny commented.

"We hope it won't leave him open to attack," Hermione continued.

"It shouldn't." Ron chimed in. "Once the wings are called, all my skin is actually covered like it was before, it only has the openings on my shoulder blades and back before they appear."

"Sounds great." Harry nodded in approval.

_You know, it might be worth trying to call armour for you and Hermione when you're in the lake._

_Do you think that would work?_

_Maybe?_

_You're right, it's worth a try. It might come in handy if we ever have to fight here at school._

Harry would like to have denied the possibility but it was all too real.

"Okay. That's everything." Harry moved until he stood before the map and leaned down to activate the portal. "Gin?"

"Ready."

Together, and seemingly without the need for a word to help their timing, the two leapt towards the map and disappeared as the portal expanded to meet them.

Ron and Hermione turned to watch the deceptively empty sky above the lake.

"Will they be long?" Ron wondered.

"I think that's them." Hermione nodded to the place which had drawn the full attention of Shadowdance and a moment later the air shimmered and a window opened. There were curling wisps of energy visible in the gap of every imaginable shade and in a variety of patterns and designs. For a few moments Hermione and Ron felt their hearts fill at being so near to the raw essence of magic.

Another moment and they could see Darkmane tumble sideways from the rift with Harry clinging steadfastly to his back. The winged lion and his rider found themselves at a 90 degree angle to the ground and righted themselves, presumably in view of Ginny and Silversong because the War Unicorn turned against the tide of magic so that when she and her rider emerged, they were oriented with gravity pulling them down towards the earth which was already positioned beneath Silversong's hooves.

Ron gave a cheer which was echoed by the other three members of the group – it seemed that already Harry and Ginny were gaining competency at flying through the wild magic.

"It was easier this time!" A wild-haired Ginny called as she soared overhead.

Harry simply grinned with exhilaration as he felt the wind and magic whipping past him.

Rather than land, he and Ginny directed their familliars into a spiraling pattern guarding the distance between the portal's mouth and the water of the lake. This first run was the easiest – they would move onto more complex scenarios assuming their plan to have Ron catch Hermione could be pulled off without too much trouble.

_Lets say the coast is clear._

_Sure._

Ginny blew on her fingers lightly until they lit with fire and she called a globe of it. She threw her creation into the portal with a whispered instruction to find Hermione.

Moments later the ball emerged from the map and circled Hermione twice before winking out of existence.

"And that's our cue." Ron urged Truthsong into the air as he spoke and Hermione kept pace easily astride the grinning Shadowdance.

Hermione concentrated her efforts at remaining on Shadowdance's back and after a moment, her familiar wrapped two of his tails around her waist in an only half-joking attempt at creating some form of seat-belt for his witch. Hermione Granger would never love flying in the same way that her lover clearly could, but the small gesture from her familiar was enough to ease her mind.

"Off we go." She and Ron descended towards the portal together.

Once more the magic threatened to unseat Ron as he flew into it and he knew from the look of almost Amazonian strength and concentration Hermione maintained as the tide of magic buffeted her that she was fighting just as hard to remain seated.

As the force threw her hair across her face so as to momentarily obscure Hermione's view of the path before her, she realised with a jolt that she did not need to see the path at all. Hermione began to relax into the current – let the wave carry her – the magic was wild but it knew where they were going.

Ron saw his love relax and was startled to see that the magic around her grew no more fierce in its attempts to remove her from her current course. Ron's observations were cut short as the four of them emerged suddenly into the air above the lake.

There was less than a second between Ron's first disorientated glimpse of Ginny's hair flashing below him and Harry's hand reaching for Hermione.

Harry did not intent to catch her – he was concerned that it might wrench her arm from the socket if he grabbed her with only one hand. Hermione seemed to understand the gesture though, or to have had the same idea as him. In that same first dizzying instant, Hermione and Shadowdance melted back into once being, removing the flying creature and leaving Ron one obstacle less to circumnavigate.

Ron grinned as Truthsong too returned to him and he freed his winds from beneath his skin as the first small breath of wind touched him.

White feathers spread wide to catch the air and Ron was flipped instantly into the position he desired – his wings seeking not only _a_ breeze, but the _right_ breeze to turn him.

Sure of his orientation in his magic long before his eyes could confirm the fact, Ron curled his wings close to his body and began to think only of falling – pulling his body down faster than Hermione's.

Ron threw the air above his body and fell like an arrow shot towards the ground. His path was direct and half sickening in it's speed.

He couldn't have said how he was sure of his place in the sky relative to Hermione, but Ron knew in his bones the moment that he waited for.

Instantaneously as Ron slowed beneath Hermione, his wings opened wide and they were dazzling in their power and strength and beauty. Ron seemed to be standing, though of course the winds held him aloft and Hermione fell the last few inches into Ron's waiting arms in a move so graceful that it looked almost faked.

Hermione clung to his chest with her eyes closed tightly.

"Love?" Ron spoke close to hear ear, not wanting to startle her.

"I'm... I'm fine." She opened her eyes as she replied and Ron could see her terror and her fight to master it as the cheers from Harry and Ginny reached their ears. She would overcome it, her eyes assured him, a few more attempts and she would overcome her fear.

Draco hadn't planned on leaving the castle that day. He very rarely planned on doing so, having no need to be outside at all, yet he found that his feet carried him to the vast doors of the entrance hall almost against his will. He had been on the way to the common room as the curfew would be in place soon and he was supposed to be making rounds with Blaise. The corridors of the school could be unkind to children with no intention of wearing the Dark Mark.

Stranger still was the fact that he found Lavender Brown standing there, looking up at the doors with the same look of confusion upon her face Draco imagined could be seen on his own.

"Do you hear something?" Draco strained to catch the elusive almost-sound.

"I thought I did." She hadn't seemed to notice him until then. "I thought I heard singing."

"So did I" He confided with a confused look at the doors which wouldn't move as he strained to open them.

"It was beautiful." She sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

As Lavender turned to face Draco, there was a movement of the clouds outside and a shaft of moonlight illuminated the pair. Draco was used to beauty, his mother had made sure he was well educated in the best way to present himself and had also ensured he had encountered enough beautiful young women that he was not struck dumb by the appearance of such girls.

None of this had prepared him for the sight of Lavender Brown in the moonlight. Her hair glittered enticingly and her eyes invited him deeper, closer to her mystery. Never had they shared more than a few words yet in that moment she was entirely irresistible to him.

He took a step towards her as though she were his salvation. Stranger still, she moved closer to him. Draco studied the depths of her eyes as though the answers to any question he cared to pose may be hidden in their brown depths. He had no notion as to how her sleek coffee-coloured hair might have been shot through with … well with what truly did appear to be glitter. It didn't trouble him. The only thing which did trouble him was that there was still distance between them.

Even as the clock striking startled them both, it was the moonlight sliding behind the clouds which ended the spellbound look between them.

"Oh." Lavender breathed into the night.

"Lavender?" Draco reached out a hand to her.

"Draco." She glanced up, shy suddenly, as she reached for him.

"Draco?" The silky voice of the Potions Master inquired from a shadowy corridor.

"Professor?" Lavender fought the urge to retreat from Severus Snape as she pulled her hand away from Draco's – embarrassed at being caught on the edge of... quite what it would have been she could not be sure – she was fairly glad that Snape had happened upon them now and not in ten minutes time when she imagined they would have been in a far more compromising position.

"And Miss Brown. What could possibly have detained you here so long after curfew?" Although his voice dripped with disdain, there was no mistaking the underlying demand for an answer.

"We could hear a noise, sir. Something from outside the castle." She replied evenly, as Draco inched closer to her.

"Indeed?" Professor Snape intoned.

"I heard it too, Professor." Draco added deliberately.

"Then I shall investigate. You two should return to your dormitories" When neither student moved, he continued more forcefully: "Now."

Severus watched the students go and wondered if he ought to have let them investigate. There was little point in treating certain students as children. Never before would he have included Lavender Brown on that list, but she had revealed a level of competence with the strange glittering stones which seemed suddenly so popular among the students that Severus had re-thought his opinion of the girl.

More than that, Severus himself had felt the pull of the night air until only moments before. Some leftover sensitivity to the magic of the Founders, perhaps? But then how might he have been included? Unless it was yet another working by the Chosen which had summoned him. Of course the question he then was left with was: why had his godson been summoned also? And how did Miss Brown fit in to the tangled equation?


	39. Letters from Home

Hi all! This is a very short chapter, but opefully one which will get me back into the mindset of Wings after so many months without it!

Thank you, as always, for your reviews. They mean the world to me.

Toghgal – I hope you noticed the message I sent in reply to your review. This chapter's for you, even though it's more on an in-between moment than a plot filled chapter, you're the one who inspired the update. Thank you.

goodygurl – Hiya! Hope you're well! Ahh Draco and Lavender... well, we'll see a hint of it here and more soon, I promise.

maricam25 - Hi there! How are you? I'll see what I can do for Ron and Harry next time, we'll be getting back to their side of things soon, and it's a really nice idea! I do seem to keep stealing from H20 ... well... not too much, I hope? Plagiarism is bad, after all! Haha

EmlynMara – Gosh, it has changed a lot, hasn't it? I was going my GCSE work, I think, when I started Wings... we've been though a lot of bad writing together and I will most definitely be finishing it someday! Ahh well you see the struggle now is down to lack of practice – they'll be much better at Death Eather hunting soon. I feel like my characters err far closer to Mary Sue than they should, so I hoped a little hardship might work well for them... but not at the expense of the fun!

Toastnchips – Thank you so much for such a lovely review! There aren't many people who would spot the length of time Wings has existed, I hope you've enjoyed it so far!

Hogwartsrose1996 – I really hope you enjoyed the next chapters too?

Butterflysparkle1012 – Draco's around, don't worry, hope you like this chapter!

jimk – Thank you for the review, i wonder if you did keep reading in the end? You might have spotted how long ago the story was started and I hope that the writing quality had improved from the early chapters.

mariecullen85 – you're welcome.

Hanzo of the Salamander - You do? That's fantastic! I'm so glad.

Draco stared down at the politely worded letter from his mother. His eyes burned with tiredness but he didn't let it show. He could see Lavender Brown, well... no. He couldn't actually see her, but he knew where she was. He could tell that if he looked up from the letter and tilted his head just so, she would be sitting at the DA's end of the Gryffindor table. She would be facing him and he had the strangest feeling that if he looked for her, she would be waiting to smile at him. The feeling was a little unsettling: this connection had sprung from nowhere.

Rather than smile like a giddy idiot (it would not go over well at the Slytherin table) Draco consciously put his thoughts of Lavender aside. Paying particular attention to the ones occupied with finding time to see her again. Something was there, he knew it and... and ... But he wasn't thinking of her now.

He also wasn't thinking about last night and their almost-kiss in the entrance hall. He wasn't remembering the song which had brought him to the castle doors . He wasn't thinking about her moonlit eyes and glittering hair. He wasn't... not at all.

Resolutely, Draco looked down at the letter from his mother.

_...Do pass on my best wishes to Miss Parkinson..._

Pansy. He sighed. Pansy was an ongoing problem. Since their confrontation and his pretend 'lioness summoning' spell she had become withdrawn. She looked to him now, when he caught an occasional glimpse of her, like a girl who had given up. His plan had always been to drive away his father's interest through his choice of lovers... it seemed to be working. He had worn that look when he realised a fact which prevented an ally from being useable. He has worn that expression each time he lost faith that escape was possible.

He didn't like her. Not at all, in fact. But Draco respected her. Pansy held her own against him; his position in Slytherin's hierarchy was always higher than hers. Most would accept that, but Pansy snapped at his heels and made to trip him up. He couldn't ignore her now. She had once been so determined and so proud of her place... what had happened to her?

Again there were no answers. He would need time to discover what had changed in her life.

His eyes moved back to the parchment.

_... Unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to converse with your father for quite some time..._

Ah, now this would be the point of the letter.

After a moment spent checking that he was not being watched, Draco whispered the words to reveal his mother's true message. The polite words shimmered and reformed into a much shorter and much more emotional note.

_Draco, something is terribly wrong with Lucius. He has always been cold, but this sheer heartlessness is terrifying. Do what you must: do not return to the Manor. I fear it is no longer safe. He has not harmed me, but he seems not to remember why he holds back._

_Continue with Harry and Ginny, they are an excellent choice. Miss Weasley's blood is, without a doubt, pure enough to satisfy the terms of your inheritance. Might you shelter with them?_

_Lastly, Draco, speak with Pansy. She has received a similar letter. Her father is behaving strangely as well._

_Much Love, Your Mother._

Draco contemplated the letter. He read it twice more as he strolled from the great hall. Just as he had convinced himself that there was probably little fact to his Father's apparent madness, he stopped outside a doorway while a group of girls walked past him.

One emitted a terrifies squeak and was caught by her friends as the colour drained from her face and she tried wholeheartedly to run.

"Wait!"

"L-Laura!" He friends reached easily for her.

"No!" Laura's eyes were wide and unseeing. "No! No!"

Draco understood then. He knew who she was. Hermione had acted the same way.

"Hospital Wing." He told the poor tortured girl's friends. "Now."

Her terrified eyes met his.

"I'm sorry," Draco whispered, but was certain she would hear, "for what he did."

The girl convulsed and her friends seemed to reach the same conclusion; that the Hospital Wing was the right place to be, and half dragged Laura away with them.

Draco relaxed minutely once they were out of sight, but internally his confusion doubled. Lucius Malfoy did not let his toys go. They came to want him and most stayed on as servants or secretaries or whatever Lucius liked to call them. Most worked with his father at the ministry: broken to his rule. He did not let them go.

Laura should not have been here... it implied that Lucius had tired of her and left her... that was not normal for his father. Draco looked again at the letter: his mother was right. Something was happening. He wasn't sure he cared. As long as his mother was safe, he didn't care at all about Lucius.

But... he would talk to Pansy.

"Mister Potter?" Professor McGonagall's voice rang through the hallway.

He didn't respond.

"Mister Potter!" She repeated and reached for his shoulder.

The boy wheeled faster than she expected and she stumbled back a little as his hand swept to his hip only to grasp at thin air. He covered the awkward movement by shoving his hand into a pocket.

"Err... Hi, Professor." He winced. "What can I do for you?"

"Are you well?" She walked into her classroom and assumed he would follow. It was a trick she had developed many long years ago: most teachers prided themselves on it.

"Fine, thank you." She waved him into a seat as she leant against her desk.

Harry sat, his long legs folding beneath him as he fell into a chair.

"I spoke with Madame Pomfrey." Minerva grinned internally: she had surprised him. It was a comfort to know that she still could. "Naturally since there are now four staff members aware of current... circumstances, you should assume we will involve each other."

"I see," Harry frowned suddenly, "Was there something I should have told you? Did I forget to- "

She pursued her lips. "Other than the fact that Hogwarts is indeed a school, Mister Potter, and so one might assume you would attend lessons occasionally?"

"What? I ... err... really?" He blinked and seemed to regress into the startled eleven year old she had first met. "I thought classes were... well... not as important?"

"Indeed they are not." Severus intoned as he billowed into the room. Was it her imagination or had his cloak become even more formidable in size lately?

"Hello, sir." Harry even managed to smile at the dour Potions Master.

"Where are your other lackeys?"

"At the lake, I think..." His eyes lost their focus for a moment and Minerva wondered if he was trying to stifle a yawn. "...yes. They're practicing there."

She enjoyed her sanity too much to fathom the mind of Harry Potter. If he said he knew, then she would believe him.

"I assumed as much: the windows are dazzling again." Severus nodded in the way that told her he had just proven a hypothesis.

"It seemed the best way." Harry shrugged as he looked at the bright windows.

"It will do, I suppose."

"The reason we are here," Professor McGonagall interrupted, "is that Albus has received a letter from Molly Weasley."

Even Severus stilled at that.

"It seems the poor woman is in quite a state. She hasn't heard a word from either one of her children and they haven't been home for any of the holidays."

She held up a hand to silence Harry when he made to speak.

"The headmaster has done what he can to reassure her." She explained. The boy was no doubt entertaining visions of Molly storming the castle in search of her children.

"And?" The hope of reprieve was clear in his voice.

"And she will be in his office on Saturday afternoon."

"We'll be there." Harry grinned.

"See that you are." Minerva smiled. "Now, as to your schedule,"

"If you were to attend classes, Potter, you might learn something." Severus intoned with all the apparent interest of a man watching paint dry.

"Sir." Harry tilted his head to the side.

"Your DA and Draco are looking for you, I believe." Severys informed him and Minerva smiled: that was twice they had surprised the boy. It would be good for him, stop him getting too confident.

"Draco?" Harry was instantly paying attention.

"You have become a ghost to the school of late. Show your face more and they will doubt you less." Severus advised, rather than answering the question.

"Yes sir, I understand. Is Draco's problem urgent?"

"How should I know? It isn't me that he's trying to find." Minerva doubted the Potions Master was ignorant of Draco's message but she didn't mention the fact.

"Also, when you are prepared for your next excursion, I have some advice for you." If she hadn't been looking for it, she would have missed the moment that Harry registered the emotion in Severus' voice. The flicker of emotion in Snape's voice was unmistakable. It was something such an accomplished spy would not allow unless it was deliberate: Harry would not ignore it.

He stood and met Severus' eyes without flinching at their intensity. "We should be ready soon."

"Now, if that's all...?" Snape didn't wait for a response. He strode from the room as Harry watched him go with a sigh.

"One might think you were jealous." Professor McGonagall teased.

Harry smiled and looked after Professor Snape. "Maybe a little. There's no way I could wear robes like that and not look like an idiot in them."

"Which, I believe, is why Albus gave him the job." For a moment, Harry took her seriously. Eventually sanity returned and he grinned more widely.

"Actually professor, I was supposed to find you today."

"Oh?" she gestured him back into his chair.

"There were... last night there was a disturbance in the common room?" He hedged as he scratched at the back of his neck.

"The summoned animals? Surely the whole thing was rubbish. Fanciful imaginings of children awake long after their proper bedtimes."

"Yes ma'am. It won't happen again." Harry assured her as he stood for the second time. "We didn't realise things would be so noticeable; Hermione's made some changes to the routine."

A clock chimed in the distance.

Harry grinned up at her and then gave a small bow. Even he wasn't quite sure if he was joking or not: there was an almost tangible aura around Minerva McGonagall. She was definitely someone who deserved his respect.

Then he turned on his heel as her eyes widened in surprise at the bow. Harry darted from the room and into the crowd of students.


	40. Water

WindStalker – I'm happy to be posting the new chapter, I know it's been a long time, I will always update... err... eventually!

PeacefulEntei – As always I really am sorry for the wait. I never seem to have as much time for Wings as I'd like. I hope that you like the new chapter!

god of all – I'm really happy that you like the story and I hope you enjoy this chapter too.

Kelwin – I can definitely see your point there! I don't know if you noticed, but I am working on re-writing the early chapters of Wings (although it's slow going) because I started the story a VERY long time ago. Some of the chapters have already been replaces and hopefully you'll find the new versions a bit better once they're up.

Butterflysparkle1012 – Hi there! Thanks for the review. This chapter's a bit more of a Hermione-centric one, but don't worry, there'll be more of Harry and Ginny soon! I promise!

Hanzo of the Salamander – thank you very much!

Nightwing 509 – I am sorry for the length of time between updates, it always seems to take me an age to get a chapter together. I hope that you're still out there, somewhere, and that you spot the update.

EmlynMara – thank you! It's really nice to hear that someone likes Severus and Minerva, they're not normally the characters who get focussed on but I have to admit they're a lot of fun to write.

Toghgal - Hello! It's great to see that you're still reading; I always smile when I see your name in my inbox. I hope you like the new chapter and it has a more decent word count this time, which makes me happy!

Goodygurl – Hiya! Great to hear from you too! Well... as requested, there are Deatheaters this time, and more for next chapter too! I really hope you like it!

* * *

Neville, Luna, Blaze and Draco waited for the rest of the DA to leave the room. The training was still a mess, but they each hoped it was less of a catastrophe than it had been a month ago. They were trying to instil the teamwork that Harry's group used so easily into the DA. They had mostly let the students organise themselves into groups of four, but Draco was left wondering if that was the best idea.

"I think so too." Luna informed him seriously as he started after the last stragglers.

"Pardon?" She unnerved him so easily.

Luna smiled slowly. "Only one nixie per group... but some have four."

"The groups are unbalanced?" Blaze translated to the best of his ability. Their strange DA alliance was trying. They were all trying unbelievably hard to work together. They all had the same fear and realisation; that their lives would depend on how well they worked together.

"That's what I said," Luna assured them, "you forget to listen right."

"We could assign them to different groups?" Neville frowned. Dealing with the DA was always a safe topic for them. There were a lot of conversations which were off limits to stop the fights they all expected. Trust came slowly. It had to. "maybe if we assess them first?"

"Probably a good move." Draco nodded, cautiously optimistic. "Finding their strengths lets them play to there skill areas and have their weaknesses covered for them."

"We can start next time," Blaze sighed; it would be a hell of a lot of work.

There was yet another unspoken agreement between the DA's leaders that when the time came, they would stop attending classes. They had seen Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny disappear weeks ago and that group clearly had the blessing of the teaching staff. The precedent was there as long as the DA did something just as important. At the moment they knew things hadn't reached that point, but it was like being locked in a pact to see who would break first. Draco couldn't remember the last time he'd been bored, or the last time he'd actually had free time. He missed both things with far more anger than he expected. He hadn't said a word to anyone about it, but he resented the way the other students could laugh and joke around.

"You've been quiet today," Draco looked to Neville. He was normally the de facto leader of the sessions.

"Have I?" Neville sighed. The look on his face could have hidden the same restless anger Draco felt.

"Aren't you going to tell them?" Luna smiled again.

Neville clenched his fists. Draco hadn't seriously expected the rage Neville Longbottom fought then. Where had it come from?

"Not that, dear," Luna assured them. "The owls."

"Owls?" Blaize repeated.

"It's the post that has me confused." Neville admitted. Now that the conversation was on a safer topic, his anger drained back behind his mask.

"The owl post hasn't been right for a while," Blaze agreed instantly.

"But if the headmaster isn't the one touching the post, who is?" Neville thought aloud. His eyes darted from place to place as he tried to answer his own question.

"Only one person that could be." Draco's eyes darkened.

"Unless the Ministry actually made a move?" Neville suggested.

"Not likely. They're as dark as it gets without a revolution." Blaze snorted.

"I heard the same things; anyone with morals is stuck working under people without them or they're getting buried under work where they can't do any damage." Draco said.

"So everyone high up is marked?"

"Marked or bought." Luna pointed out.

"What do we do?" Neville asked. "We need to work to change it, we need to work for something."

"This is _for _something. Our pretty little schoolboy army here is being put together to help things. There will be a fight someday and by then we'll be better. They're going to be better." Blaze tried to rouse some optimism.

"We are stronger together. We've all seen that." Draco admitted grudgingly. They had a hell of a long way to go.

"What a load of sentimental rubbish." Blaze spoke the words but his heart wasn't in them.

"There's a lot of that going around these days." Luna observed with her usual serenity.

"Mind you, it does seem to be working." Neville looked at the empty hall before them. "The DA are starting to work better in groups."

"Why doesn't it feel fast enough?" Draco sighed.

* * *

Draco could see Pansy's blonde hair hiding in the shadows outside the Room of Requirement. He requested that she come, but he hadn't expected her to appear. His position in the Slytherin hierarchy was precarious. Not through his own actions, although those had inspired huge changes, but because of the paradigm shift.

Draco was to be respected on account of his father. Until Lucius chose to disinherit Draco and to deny his son, then the fact of Draco's status would remain unchanged. It guaranteed that Draco would have a place within the dungeons of Slytherin which many would aspire to usurp. Lately Draco's actions had changed the perceptions of him held by his house. No longer was he the model Slytherin heir, the Deatheater-to-be who worked tirelessly to prove his worth to his father.

Now he was something different. Unknown. His place had changed. His morals had shifted.

His father's status remained and so Draco was not reviled to his face. He was certain he was mocked and hated once his back was turned. That didn't matter to him at the moment; he would get revenge when the timing was more favourable.

He was sure the social hierarchy had fragmented into a new form. Those sorted by the strength of their allegiance to the dark would have their own society now, one he was excluded from. One he needed Pansy to enter for him. He could spy himself. He _would_ do so... but that would not guarantee his inclusion when they had seen him with the DA.

When the time came, Draco's allegiance to He Who Must Not Be Named could not be proven because it was no longer there. Pansy might outlast him.

"What do you want then?" She folded her arms in front of her chest.

"Maybe I wanted to talk." He looked at her. She was as cold and beautiful as ice. The blonde of her hair was probably charmed, but she had come a long way from the ugly girl he had grown up at Hogwarts with. Even since the start of the year... she was beautiful to him now when a few months ago he wouldn't have spared her a look. Strange.

"Doubtful." She smirked.

"True." He matched her. These were strange times. Perhaps she was more adept with cosmetic charms than she had been before? Maybe it was her personality which drew him in? Maybe it was the challenge in her eyes?

"So, what do you need?" Pansy cut to the chase. Her expression showed him nothing. He admired that emptiness and he matched it.

"A favour. Potentially. But what do you want in return." Revealing the stakes showed his hand. Pansy could ask for anything here, and he would have to meet it if he wanted her help. If he chose not to meet her request, she would never know what he was planning.

"What do I want?" She laughed, but the sound was bitter. "Oh, Draco, you have no idea what I wanted."

"I don't follow." He waited for her to explain.

"No. Of course not. You jaunt about the place with your little Potter love triangle sham and you never stop to _think_... you never thought..." She looked away, gritting her teeth. She stared adamantly out of a window. She refused to look at him.

"...Pansy?"

"You're not the only one with plans, Draco!" Anger shot through her voice and he took a surprised step back. That only seemed to spur on her desperate ire. "You're not the only one who wanted out."

"You..." He gazed into her eyes, searching for truth in their depths. Has she really wanted to turn from the Dark Lord? "You?"

"You." She returned in a flippant tone, her control over her emotions restored. "You were supposed to be my way."

"How?" he asked with a smile, he could pretend just as well as she. His mask was perfect.

"I hadn't decided yet. Marriage or a faked murder seemed the most likely." She shrugged.

"They do. Equally likely, if you ask me." Draco commented with a touch of mirth. His smile was almost real.

"I wish I could have done." And that was true. He realised it as he saw the slight slump in her shoulders and the sigh she didn't restrain.

"I'm... sorry." Draco reached awkwardly to put a hand on her shoulder.

"Is everything...?" Lavender Brown, of all people, stumbled across them. That Gryffindor was another mystery Draco had no clues to. There was something there.

"I'm sorry. Really, I shouldn't have interrupted, but I felt like I had to be here." Lavender babbled as she wrung her hands. It wasn't like her to be so scattered. She seemed scared by her own actions; she truly hadn't decided to come to this corridor.

"What?" Draco asked, not having moved an inch.

"I had to come. I could hear it again." She avoided his eyes and Pansy wisely stayed silent. The Slytherin knew she would learn more that way.

"The singing?" Draco concentrated for a moment and he could hear it too, something floating softly in the background. He had no idea how long ago it had started. She had his focus in a moment. He had been there for Pansy and not one moment with Lavender and their... tie... had him caught. What _was _it? Draco had no idea where to start searching for answers.

"Why does your hair shine like that?" Pansy reached unthinkingly for the glitter in Lavender's hair.

Draco's hand closed softly around her wrist. He didn't want anyone to touch that hair.

Pansy flinched. "Merlin, Draco, you're hands are cold."

"Are they?" He put his hand to his cheek. "Hadn't noticed."

* * *

"I don't like this waiting."

"No?" Ron asked as he yawned.

"It makes me thing of opportunities we missed. Things we could have done if I'd thought of them sooner." Hermione checked and double checked the parchment in front of her.

She and Ron were waiting for Harry and Ginny. She felt like that was what they spend most of their time doing. In truth she knew it wasn't the case; the Chosen seemed to feel their time apart differently than their time together. The design of it eluded her; she knew the group was stronger together but what reason was there to punish them for being apart?

"Come and look at the map?" He suggested, "that's full of things we still have to do."

She crossed the room to look at the bleak representation of their home. The dark was spreading across the map. It might have been her imagination, but it looked like there was more darkness every day.

"There are so many places that look lost." She placed a fingertip on the one place that they had saved.

Ron hugged her; they didn't need words.

"Snape's advice was to play to our strengths, wasn't it?" Ron pondered.

"Yes," Hermione answered. "but did he mean that in general or some particular strength?"

"Well, looking at the task and considering our strengths..." Ron found it easy to break down the advantages and disadvantages each member of their group could offer. "Strength in numbers probably won't ever be something we can use. There's physical strength, that could come into play and win us some fights when we aren't outnumbered to badly. Although it doesn't earn us much of an advantage if we're fighting a whole building of Deatheaters."

"Some of the positions would give us an elemental advantage, if that counts as 'our' strength." Hermione thought as she scanned the most likely places.

"Would they?" Ron frowned at the map.

"Here, for example." She pointed to an isolated speck just off the northern coast.

"Now that looks like a plan for the day," Ron smiled at his half-mermaid girlfriend, "let's find Harry and Ginny."

* * *

The beach that the group opened a portal to was silent, save for the sound of the sea itself. They had been able to see the beak stretch of shoreline from the Common Room. The reality was worse than they had expected.

Together the Chosen and their familiars had fallen from the wild magic with slightly more grace than an anvil might have managed. 'Though that would depend on the anvil.

The beach was pebbled, and only Harry managed to find his footing; using his elemental power to steady the ground under him. The colour had been leached from the environment by the darkness. What might have been a pretty tumble of rocks and pebbles was turned into something desolate and dark.

The moon gave them enough light to see their target.

The island which had called them there was clear. It was only a little way out to sea. The entirety of the island was taken up by a castle. Waves lashed at the sides of the towering structure as they ate away at the rock supporting the building. It was probably magic holding the building in such a dramatic location. The castle had a collection of towers and spires. The group counted five floors before the spires began.

There should have been lightning in the background, Hermione thought with a smile.

The plan had seemed so simple in theory.

"And you're sure we can do this?" Ron asked her.

"Which part?" Harry interjected.

"Every part!" Ron's panic was exaggerated to make them smile. There wasn't much they could do to calm their nerves.

"Honestly, no. No, I'm not." Hermione sighed. "But you and Harry and Ginny and I, we're all that stands between that band of Deatheaters and Great Britain."

The mood became sombre as they looked out to the island and it's castle of Deatheaters. It seemed to strike home that the words were true. Ginny tried to keep a gasp hidden under her breath, but the fear in her eyes was clear. Harry and Ron shared a look; they were worried too.

Hermione took a breath to steady her voice. "That won't always be the case in quite such a literal way, but for now... it tells us to try."

"She's right." Harry and Ron sat on the frigid pebbles of the beach. There was no rush just now, it was only the dawn they wanted to avoid. Hermione stood by their side, the moon cast her shadow across them.

Ginny would have warmed them up, but creating fire without light would be risky. Heat was no problem, but with nothing to conduct the heat to the others, it would use up more of her magic than she could spare.

The group shivered while they debated the plan.

Hermione did most of her thinking before she had to act. She thought best that way and it gave her plans a higher chance of working if she could see how each stage hinged on the one before it. If she tried to think on her feet, she was less effective. Once she touched the water and began to test the limits of her strength there would be higher risks to any of her actions.

"The wards have to be our first point of attack." Ron pointed to the ring of rocks protruding from the waves around the dark island.

"Yes," the others spoke as one.

"Then we'll know more about what we face." Harry nodded.

"Are you sure we can pull this off?" Ginny watched the island as though it was creeping up on her. "It's going to take a lot of power, Hermione."

"We have to try." Ron put a hand on his sister's shoulder.

Hermione refused to accept that failure was an option. She would do her part, she would do her best. Tonight things seemed closer to hopeless than they had in the Common Room. Maybe it was because they started this attack of their own choice? Aside from the lone Deatheater, their fights had always been in reaction to Voldemort's plans before. This time it felt like they planned mass murder. It didn't bother Hermione as much as she'd expected. Her hatred towards the Deatheaters and her fear and rage towards Lucius Malfoy made it easy to plan their deaths.

If she actually came face to face with her torturer, she wasn't sure she could stay calm. She wasn't sure she would stay sane if that happened. _Lucius wouldn't be here._ She told herself a thousand times over. There was no reason for him to be here.

"Does it worry anyone else that they're using wards?" Harry sighed his question into the moment of stillness between one wave and the next.

"Wards are common," Hermione said, jolting out of her worries, the issue of wards had been nagging at her as well.

"Hogwarts has been using them for centuries," Ginny pointed out.

"And the Ministry too." Ron supposed.

"But they aren't taught as part of the core curriculum at Hogwarts." Hermione nodded to herself as she spoke. "If they were common when the curriculum was set, then they would probably have their own class from first year onwards."

"Maybe they're too complicated for school?" Ron shrugged. "We didn't exactly pick them up out of a textbook."

Harry and Ginny were sharing one of their intense looks. She couldn't read anything into their expression. Obviously the pair could understand each other because they broke eye contact at the same instant and turned to the castle.

A moment later Hermione and Harry shared a pondering glance at the wards the Deatheaters used. Hermione felt warmth in her as she looked at Harry. She had overheard him talking to Ginny a few days ago. He's said that Hermione was right. Even if he hadn't agreed with her, the faster Harry accepted Hermione's ideas, the better he thought his chances of survival might be. She couldn't think of a bigger compliment than that; he trusted her to save his life when he couldn't understand what was happening.

"Then why do they use them?" Harry asked.

"Come on, we don't have time for this." Ginny nodded to the moon.

"Right." Hermione nodded.

She and Ron were supposed to enter the castle alone.

Ginny's role was to ferry Harry to each of the rocks holding the wards and then to protect him if he was attacked while he worked.

This left Harry to carry out the sabotage. He was at the greatest disadvantage when it came to this battlefield. Hermione and Ginny had a transformation on their side. Ron could use his element to keep himself breathing underwater; that left the rest of his power free. Harry's best use tonight would be in his ability to crumble away the rocks holding the wards to destroy them. It would stop the Dark Lord from moving his people back into the castle tomorrow.

Since Harry had forced his magic through Ron to create the path of feathers, he had been reluctant to create more. Hermione understood without needing to be told. The wings were not part of Harry's element the way that her mermaid form was part of her. The Water and Moonlight mingled perfectly in Hermione and it balanced her forms easily. Calling wings for Harry was a lot more effort, and it was something they weren't sure they could spare.

Hermione only half listened to Ron and Harry's conversation. They could have used standard charms to let Harry breathe underwater, but those were too easily overcome.

In the end, the original plan won out. Harry and Ginny waded into the sea. It was twice as cold as it looked.

Ginny dipped under the black water.

"Okay," she whispered when she resurfaced.

Harry's teeth were chattering too much for him to answer. He reached a hand to her and Ginny concentrated as she took it.

"Thanks." Harry relaxed as she warmed him.

"Lucky for some." Ron sighed.

Hermione watched as Ginny towed Harry towards the nearest of the ward-anchors.

"It's funny, it feels like the jobs are backwards." Ron said once the other two were out of earshot.

"It does." She smiled.

"It's good, though, it'll give us some practice in case we ever need to do this again." Ron watched the speed his sister could move through the water and Hermione could tell he was impressed.

It took them several minutes to get into their places. Ron was perched out by the wards; wings folded back so that he didn't give their presence away. Harry and Ginny would work anti-clockwise around the circle and Ron made sure to be out of their way. They could cope fine, they didn't need his help.

Hermione let the waves reach her. She had wanted to reach the sea since the moment she first looked at it through the map. She sighed as it soothed her and she moved forwards. Each step brought the water higher and each moment she could hear more of the song beneath the waves. The tides had their own magic and she knew how to listen for it.

She swam for the castle itself. She pulled Ron into the water once she reached his perch. Ron shouted in awe when she moved; she tugged at his hand so that he was drawn after her. She laughed; the sound distorted by the waves until she concentrated for a moment and the underwater echo was gone from her words.

Ron could speak underwater a lot more clearly than Ginny or Harry might have managed. There was still a rush of air from his mouth when he spoke and so after a moment he reached for his wand.

It shouldn't have surprised her when he did but they'd been working with staffs and swords for so long. She had forgotten how practical a wand actually was. She hadn't even brought hers; what had she been thinking?

"ARE WE PAST THE WARDS?" He asked.

"Yes." She pointed to one of the anchoring islands above them.

"STUPID." Ron grinned; the stupidity of a Deatheater was an advantage for them.

"I know. Anyone could have swum under."

"AIR VENT?" Ron wrote the words in ribbon so that they were clear.

Hermione smiled, "or a dungeon? It doesn't have to be underwater, but the lower down an opening is, the easier my job is."

"OKAY." Ron looked to the building. He murmured lumos to himself and his wand lit so that he could study the island itself for any openings.

Hermione concentrated and whispered lumos while she touched the pearls in her hair. She had tried a few simple spells before and they held magic perfectly. Nothing offensive would work, but they held light quite happily. The water around her lit well enough that she could see clearly, she had to hope that the Deatheaters wouldn't notice.

Ron stared at her. She tried to ignore it, but he didn't look away.

"What?"

Ron shook his head and moved through the water towards her. One instant later his arms were around her waist and his lips pressed against hers. He was so warm against the waves. Underwater kissing was... unexpected. Wonderful. They had to try it again if they had the chance.

That was when she understood what he meant by the kiss. Hermione threw her arms around him, holding him closer than before. She clung to him, clung to life and poured a promise to live into their kiss. It was not goodbye. They would come home together.

* * *

There wasn't an opening underwater. It might have been a problem, but by the time Hermione had realised it, Ron had made one. He tunnelled his way into one of the dungeons or cellars, it didn't matter which.

Hermione moved in front of the hole. The water already rushed past her to enter the castle and she helped it along. Hermione's power over water was stronger when she was closer to the water she was trying to move. More of the bricks cracked and fell inwards as the sea rushed into the room.

A few breaths later and there was a resounding boom as the door to the room was blown off its hinges and water roared out into the corridors, pushed further and faster by Hermione's power.

Hermione dug deeper into her power than she had before; she called more water to her and commanded all of it at once. Inch by inch she began to fill the building. The strength it took was monumental. Water, by nature, was sticky. It was a silly thing to know, but as it beaded onto skin and refused to drain completely from a glass, she couldn't deny that it was true.

With her power and will behind it, Hermione began forcing the water higher and the water was happy to obey; it knew how to do this.

She couldn't tell how long it took. She had to give emotion to the power eventually, her magic was not enough.

She felt loose when she felt her wave of anger-fuelled water hit the tops of the towers. One she must have pushed too fiercely because the tower's roof crumbled against her power. It didn't matter.

Ron was casting spell after spell to hold the water in place, She needed to pay attention to the next part of the plan.

She could tell by the first movement of her tail that her power was almost gone. They had to be fast.

The gap in to the dungeon was large enough for them both; she and Ron swam into the castle together.

They hadn't meant to split up, but when they heard noises from either end of a corridor, they had done so automatically.

The first Deatheater Hermione came across had drowned already. His body drifted; grotesque and empty in the current Hermione created when she opened the door. She was glad he wore his mask. It wasn't her first kill, but it was the first she was solely responsible for. She could already guess he would feature heavily in her nightmares. The way his robes still moved around him, and a dark lock of hair was pulled around the side of his mask by the water held her attention for too long.

When the fifth and sixth Deatheaters she came across were drowned as well, she began to relax. That was a mistake.

The seventh had enough forethought to have cast a bubble-head charm when the water rushed through the building. Hermione had expected it sooner. His movements were slowed by water, hers were not. She stabbed him about three seconds after she had first seem him.

After that, more fought her. She was doing well enough considering she only had the dregs of her power and a dagger she'd stolen from one of the first corpses. The thirteenth Deatheater snuck up on her and she panicked; Hermione boiled the water behind her. That was a stupid move; when the panic left her and she had pried the fingers of the corpse from her arm, she could think of so many different way she could have killed him. None would have used so much of her power. Directing water was less taxing than heating it.

She didn't look at that body; she was sure she didn't want to see it.

After that one, she found that she could burst a bubble-head charm. It was a lot more efficient. She was reaching exhaustion now; filling the castle had taken the bulk of her energy.

Even room she visited seemed to leach away a little more. She was dizzy and there was a sick feeling creeping into her stomach. She was starting to gasp for breath and that was a very bad sign. She was losing her grip on her transformation now, her power was all but gone. It was time for her to get out of the building. She concentrated on finding Ron; the water reported to her, echoing movement back to her until she knew which direction to go in. If any attacker found her then, she wasn't sure she could have won.

Next time there would be a faster escape route. She promised herself.

When she found him, Ron was waiting. He was in some sort of meeting room; it had a vast wooden table and grand draperies around the walls. There was nothing in terms of defences to surround the room, but the wall handing behind the head of the table sported the dark mark.

When Ginny's familiar appeared before them, for one heart-stopping moment, Hermione was sure something had gone wrong.

"Silversong?"

The War Unicorn tilted her head to the side and any whinnied. Light filled the room as Ginny's voice was carried to them.

"...hope this works. Ron, Hermione, there's no one left in there. No none alive, anyway. The only heat is coming from the two of you so you can stop now..."

"Nobody?" Hermione repeated. Silversong sent another pulse of light through the room, and Hermione suspected, through the whole castle. The War Unicorn nodded; there was no one left.

In a moment, Ginny's familiar was gone, arrowing towards Ginny to return her magic. It was a big enough risk for Ginny to have sent away her magic that Hermione knew the redhead must have been certain they were safe.

"I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE MORE?" Ron turned in the water to check he hadn't missed an ambush. They had killed... perhaps twenty people? At the most.

"Me too," Hermione chewed on her lip. One flick of her tail sent her to the far side of the vast chamber.

"IT'S LIKE THEY WERE WARNED." Ron's wrote to her, dragging his ribbon through the water.

"No, they didn't need warning," disappointment flooded through her: she should have seen this mistake. "Ron, they apparated away."

The moment he understood, he turned his face away to hide the rage. "WE FORGOT TO SET ANTI-APPARITION WARDS."


	41. Fall

Goodygurl – Thanks, as always, for the review. It's always great to hear from you. I hope you like the new chapter!

Vasilius Parvus – Sorry about the cliffhanger, the chapter just sort of happened that way. As for the formatting, I know that it's a bit confusing. The versions of the chapters which I upload do have a break included in them, but I think that as changes the text to its format then the breaks get lost or reduced.

maggie1000 – Thank you so much for your review, and you're completely welcome. I love writing Wings and I'm glad that you enjoy reading it.

abraxas01 – Ah. Yes! There is quite a lot of work that needs doing to the early chapters. I am working on replacing the errors in the old chapters, but it's a slow process at the moment.

Devine69 – Thank you so much for your review. I've done that so many times when you look at a title or a summary which doesn't seem that great, and then when you finally start the story you realise it's actually pretty great! Wings is a complete guilty pleasure for me, and there used to be a lot more stories like it. They seem a bit less common these days, but I'm sure if you look back through the archives they'll be there.

Karou WindStalker – Yes, it always is! But life's a learning process; they won't forget again.

EmlynMara – Good point! It is indeed Blaise. I will get it changed as I edit the early chapters. The four definitely are still learning, but they're starting to get the hang of things now. It's a process, but they're getting better all the time.

maricam25 – It's always brilliant to hear from you – I hope everything's going well for you! Haha well, I could tell you, but that would take out all the fun! There is definitely something going on there. There isn't any DA this time, but they'll be back soon. And... funny you should mention your Hermione theory...

Covered in Bruises – Sorry to disappoint but I'm not finished with him yet.

Fred - You may be taking this story more seriously than it's intended.

* * *

One moment Hermione was looking through the window and out across the sea, then in the next, Ron saw the glitter of her scales start to fade.

"Hermione!" The word escaped him in a flood of bubbles as he reached for her.

The scales were falling all around her as Hermione drifted sideways.

"Hmm?" She tried to reply. She tried to turn. The pearls scattered and fell from her hair. They burst like bubbles around Hermione as her tail vanished.

Ron reached for her, feeling her armour against his skin and the sudden presence of a current in the water.

"Hermione?" He gripped her tight; panic spiking through him.

"Something's wrong..." She murmured against his chest as the water moved around them.

She was breathing, at least, but how long could that last?

She must have used all her power. Ron realised it as he cradled Hermione in his arms. She had nothing left and so she had lost her control over the water and her grip over her transformation.

First he had to get her into the air. The last of her transformation was letting her breathe but that would run out in moments.

The water was draining, but not fast enough.

Ron shouted something wordless and desperate at the window on the wall. He held out a hand and pulled air into the room. Glass and stone exploded past them; Ron turned so that the debris wouldn't strike Hermione and he felt pain sting at him.

Ignore it, he told himself.

He dragged Hermione into the air he called. The water resisted, but gravity had it emptying from the castle now, he could win out against the tide now there was no magic holding it in place.

He debated for a moment before he figured out the best way to carry Hermione. He hooked one arm under her shoulders and one behind her knees. It took him two breaths to summon his wings and carry her through the ruined wall and out into the night air.

He was used to carrying another person thanks to the training they had done at the lake, but he was terrified that there might be something more than exhaustion wrong with Hermione.

He fell more than flew back to the beach; he didn't care about the fall or the impact so long as it didn't hurt her.

He staggered onto the beach, not caring about the pebbles he displaced or the sand that was thrown into the air.

She was breathing. It was all that mattered just then.

* * *

"Ron?" Harry found them there. They were all soaked to the skin and Ginny threw warmth around them like a blanket. Her eyes were wide and she hid the trembling in her hands.

"She couldn't hold onto the shape." Ron held Hermione close.

"Is she... could she get out in time?" Harry stammered through his question.

"She was still breathing." Ron nodded. "But she won't wake up."

"Maybe Madame Pomfrey can help?" Ginny suggested after a moment.

"Yeah." Ron looked up. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"You were worried. It makes all of us forget - " Ginny broke off mid sentence. She looked to her left, away from the ocean. The beach rose into a slight hill; enough that they were hidden from sight. She couldn't see over it.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Quiet." Harry's voice cut through the night. "We aren't alone."

Ron took one last look at Hermione and he stood. He drew on strength fuelled only by fear for her safety and what the Deatheaters would do if they found her. He called his armour and took his stance over her where she had fallen.

"We protect her." Harry nodded. "We protect her first."

"What else would we do?" Ginny tried to summon a carefree smile as she placed her feet more deliberately into the beach and she drew her sword.

"Kill them if we can, but at least one of us stays with Hermione." Ron agreed. In moments like this, they hardly needed to state the plan pout loud; they simply knew.

There was no time to be afraid. There was only room for determination: they would keep Hermione safe. They all forced back their tiredness as they took stock of the power they had in reserve. This fight would have to be quick, but no one wanted to say that aloud.

"How many are there?" Ron's voice sounded in Harry's ears. It was a trick he'd been practising; even someone standing an inch from Harry wouldn't have heard the words.

Harry took a moment then held up his hand: five fingers and then three.

"Eight?" Ron couldn't see the Deatheaters at all yet.

Harry nodded.

Ron smiled; they were good odds.

* * *

It was dawn when Harry and Ginny summoned their familliars and re-opened the portal to Hogwarts.

Their common room was occupied.

The Headmaster was waiting for them.

The strange journey had been filled with rushing magic and their desperate hold on Hermione. They had fallen from the magic and held her safely between Ron and Harry; they were the two best to keep her from colliding with the floor.

Then they stepped onto the carpet. Sand and mud scattered around them and the familliars disappeared at once.

The group blinked uncomprehendingly at the Headmaster.

He took in the dishevled, mud-covered students from the rips in their clothes to the obvious spell damage done to them. He took in the liberal splatters of blood, and the several lightly-bleeding wounds they sported.

He took a sip of his tea as the Headmaster reclined in a comfy armchair he must have conjured. He tapped his foot against the floor as he smiled serenely at them.

"H-Hello sir." Ginny ventured.

"Hermione - " Ron began as he and Harry lowered her to the floor.

Dumbledore was there in an instant, having only noticed Hermione's stake once the group had begun to lower her to the floor. The Headmaster had assumed that Hermione had simply needed support as they landed and not understood that she was unconscious. In a moment his hands were hovering over the fallen girl. He murmured spells for the better part of five minutes and they waited in silence.

"I see." The Headmaster looked up into three scared faces. "Miss Granger is exhausted, but there seems to be no damage done. She is perhaps a little worse for wear, but some sleep will set her to rights."

"You're sure?" Ron visibly sighed with relief. He reached for his girlfriend and carried her to one of their sofas. She could rest safely there for the moment.

"Professor?" Harry asked once he was sure that Hermione was safe.

It was with a great deal of effort that Harry managed to remember why the Headmaster might be looking for them. He tried to work out which day of the week they were up to.

"Are we late, Professor?"

"Unfortunately." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as the Headmaster returned to his tea.

"Are the Weasley's - ?" Harry asked with a visible wince.

_Oh God! _Ginny's mental voice was shrill with panic.

"Oh, Merlin! Mum! Dad!" Ron stammered.

Ron paled dramatically. He was soaked to the skin and covered in no small amount of blood and lingering magic. He looked like the hero from just about every fairytale he could have thought of... and he was terrified over what his mother would say when she saw him.

"I have invited Molly to lunch and unfortunately Arthur has been called away." Dumbledore explained. "You have time to wash and dress and hopefully to try and rouse Miss Granger."

"Thank you sir."

"Then I shall bid you farewell and see you in my office at two o'clock. Do not be alarmed if Hermione sleeps until tomorrow morning, such things are normal given her situation. Although I must admit to a healthy dose of curiosity as to how Miss Granger managed to use all of her magic over the course of one evening?"

"Ah... well..." Harry and Ron exchanged glances.

"A tale for another day then." Professor Dumbledore smiled at the group with a renewed twinkle in his eyes before he left them to their quest for cleanliness.

* * *

"What do we do?" Ginny whispered.

"Well..." Ron shrugged. "I have no idea."

It was something that they hadn't truly had the time to discuss. It was such an important conversation that all of them had meant to bring up the subject at one time or another: what were they supposed to tell people? And harder still; what were they supposed to tell the people that they loved?

Every explanation they could collectively summon went along the same lines. They all began with a variation on 'After we met the ghosts of the founders of Hogwarts...' the story would wind through toned down descriptions of their elemental skills and probably not contain any mentions of flying lions, war unicorns, black foxes or a phoenix large enough to ride. Eventually they would finish with a half hearted attempt to make the sentence '… so really it comes down to us. We have to fight the war. Not alone, of course, but we probably will have to face Voldemort himself someday.' sound anything less than terrifying.

They hadn't found a more delicate way to word things and now they were out of time.

"So much has changed."

"Everything changed." Ron agreed. "I've killed people. People that might have had families. People that - "

"Would have killed us if they'd had a chance." Harry had been telling himself that as he had scrubbed the blood from under his nails. All three of them looked pale today. They way they had fought in defence of Hermione had been a lot bloodier than their handful of fights before.

"I heard them die... I _felt_ them go." Ginny shivered. "How do I see my mum after that?"

"I don't know." Harry took her hand. "I really don't."

"I wish Hermione was here." Ron looked to the gargoyle outside the Headmaster's office. "She'd know what to say."

"What do you want to say?" Ginny looked to her brother.

"I want to tell her." Ron sighed and pushed a hand through his tangled hair. "I want her to hug me and say that everything will be fine and not to worry and..."

He shook his head, unable to go on.

"Yeah," Ginny reached for Ron's hand, feeling the callouses from his sword work and avoiding the burn on the back of his hand from a passing curse he had dodged. "I'd like that too."

* * *

"Ronald!" Molly Weasley shot from her chair as soon as her son entered the room. "It's been weeks with no word. Nothing! Not even a note! What were you thinking?"

"Mum, I - " There were new lines etched into her face. She was looking thinner and... had that grey always been in her hair? Ron was taken aback. His mother suddenly seemed so fragile.

"Not one mention that you had made it to school."

"Mum - " He had hurt her. Made her worry. Ron stepped back as his mother advanced on him. He had missed her so much.

"Nothing to say how your sister is!" Her eyes narrowed and there was worry in them no matter how hard she tried to hide it with anger.

"Ginny can write on her own!" he tried to joke. How could he tell her? How could he tell her how dangerous his life had become?

Ginny shot Ron an alarmed look: Her mother turned to her and then looked back to Ron.

"Oh, I _expect_ this from you Ron, but given the times even a howler would have been nice."

"I'm sorry." Ron's ears flushed pink, it had been a long time since they'd seen it. Now that the moment had come, he couldn't think of anything to say except that he was sorry. Would telling her anything more put her at risk?

"Mum, I should have written to you too - " Ginny nodded at Ron: she would keep her silence too. No matter how much they wanted to explain the truth, perhaps Molly Weasley wasn't ready to hear it. The woman was fearsome and practically indomitable, but her children were her weakness.

"Yes!" Molly sniffed as she wrapped her daughter into a hug. "You should have. You know better."

"I know mum. I'm sorry." Ginny's voice was muffled as she clung to her mother.

"Do you have any idea how scared I've been." Molly whispered into her hair.

"The ministry being like it is, and the children all so quiet. People are going missing and I haven't heard from you in months."

Ron and Ginny shared a distressed look as Harry stayed quietly in the shadows. He started to wonder if he was intruding.

"I need to know that you two are safe." Molly released Ginny and pulled Ron into a hug. She released him a moment later and wiped a tear from her eyes. "After everything that's happened..."

"What's happened?" Ron asked he didn't need to look at Harry to tell that his alpha was just as focussed on what his mother hadn't said as he was.

"Nothing, dear." Molly smoothed her hair and wiped her eyes.

"Mum - "

"Nothing. I'm being silly." She told them with a decent attempt at a smile and a hint of her usual fire in her eyes.

Harry met Ron's look; they would figure it out later. Whatever had Molly Weasley scared was their next target.

"Err mum, you know, since we haven't written..." Ron tried to distract his mother. If she was afraid they could help her. If she knew they were trying to help then she would do everything she could to stop them. "You haven't heard any of our news."

"Is there some?" Mrs Weasley looked sharply around the room and noticed Harry. "Harry, dear, I didn't see you there!"

"Hello Mrs Weasley." Harry tried to give his most harmless smile.

_Why are you so nervous? _Ginny's words were more timid than usual, as though her mother would be able to tell she was doing something odd.

_I don't know._ Harry replied as butterflies danced in his stomach.

"Hermione and I are happy, mum, we've been together this whole time." Ron was playing things safe telling his mum about Hermione. Topics didn't come much safer than that.

"Oh, that's lovely Ron, I'm so happy for you."

"Yeah. She's sorry that she isn't here today, but she has this charms project and - "

"Of course, dear. You make sure to tell Hermione that she's welcome at The Burrow any time. You know that already of course, but tell her anyway. She'll like to hear it."

"Okay." Ron ducked his head to hide his smile.

"Good." Molly gave her first real smile of the afternoon.

"Actually, mum?" Ginny spoke with more hesitation than she had needed in weeks, "while we're on the subject?"

"Oh, Ginny, not some other hapless suitor?" Mrs Weasley smiled at her daughter; the young woman was finding her feet but she hadn't much luck so far.

"I hope not, Mrs Weasley." Harry said with a glance at Ginny.

"It's good of you to wish her well, Harry - " Molly told him.

"Oh, no," Ginny stepped forwards, "mum?"

"Yes dear?" Molly tilted her head to the side as she tried not to let the hops show in her voice.

"It's not... he's not wishing anything; it's Harry I'm seeing." Ginny looked at the floor for a moment before she smiled at her mum.

"H-Harry?" Mrs Weasley repeated in a wavering tone.

"Yes Ma'am." Harry stepped out of the shadows as the butterflies threatened to choke him. "I think the world of her."

"Well then, I can't pretend I didn't see Ginny's hopes, but..." Molly looked from Harry to her daughter.

"I realised a lot of things this year." Harry spoke seriously. "Ginny is something I didn't realise I was missing."

"Then... you'll look after her?" Molly asked. "Not that she needs looking after, I just... oh, you know what I mean."

"We look after each other, mum." Ginny explained.

* * *

Severus felt his left hand twitch. He put down the fine silver knife he held and looked out over his class of seventh year students. None of them had seen him. The class was mostly comprised of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students this year and so there were only a few people likely to have been watching him so closely.

Still, the possibility was there.

He flexed his hand deliberately as the burning in his forearm began to grow.

The tremor came first now, as the pain receptors had dulled over the years and the mark had to burrow deeper into him to make him feel it's call.

He lent against his desk for a moment. The Dark Lord would understand his hesitation to answer the call. In fact if he were to answer a call so promptly during school hours, Voldemort would likely be genuinely surprised.

Severus fought the urge to sigh. Each meeting came and things were worse. The situation was escalating. Voldemort was happier.

It was somehow worse knowing that there was some light to hope for. It made the dark harder to bear.

He would manage. Always.

If the war ended, he wanted to know that he had done what he could. He needed to know that the light had won with his help or that the light had fallen despite his best efforts.

The world was darker every day.


	42. Master

harryginny9 – Haha you chose a pretty good day to ask that! Hope you enjoy the new chapter.

Vasilius Parvus – Good question. In all honesty, it would be a shame for them to stay in the dark forever. The Weasleys are part of the story too; they'll be around to find out a few surprises. Also, don't worry, i know i'm slow but i won't forget Wings. There'll always be a new chapter eventually!

BellaFlame – Thank you so much for your review! I hope you enjoy the new chapter too!

EmlynMara – Thank you for your review =) yes, I can't really see Molly taking the news well haha.

maricam25 – HIYA! =) As always thank you and I hope things are going well for you. Luna and Neville are... complicated just now... but then getting any straight answer from Luna is probably impossible!

Toghgal – You have no idea how proud it makes me that you look forward to my updates. Thank you so much. I really hope life is going well for you and that your chapter alert thing works this time! (technology is FAR too temperamental)

. . .

. . .

"Potter." The cool voice of the potions master reached Harry's ears.

"Sir?"

"A moment." Snape was half concealed by shadow and Harry paused before he followed the path to the dungeons.

_Be with you soon._ He told Ginny as he shivered.

_Need help? _Her voice swept through his thoughts as he followed Snape down into the colder areas of the castle.

_I don't think so, is Ron still with Hermione?_

_He is. If you need us..._

_I'll call._

As Snape turned a corner which brought the pair to the potions classroom, Harry was sure he could see a limp in the older man's gait.

"Sir - "

"Soon, Potter." Snape's eyes were tired as he pushed open the door to his classroom.

A group of bewildered seventh years blinked at their potions master as he apparently dragged the hapless Gryffindor student in his wake. Harry almost laughed when he saw the class; he hadn't realised it was a weekday.

"Continue brewing." Snape urged them in his silkiest tone. "Summon me if there are any mistakes. Be warned, I shall be displeased if I am interrupted."

Harry forced his features to remain smooth as he watched the class. Some seemed almost amused with their professor; Slytherins, Harry guessed. It was hard to tell from the back of the classroom. The majority of students shifted uncomfortably and renewed their concentration on their cauldrons.

"Potter." Snape snapped. "This way."

Harry dashed to keep up with the professor as they passed into a workroom Harry had never realised was there.

Snape seemed to collapse against the nearest table. It was the most pained movement Harry had ever seen from him.

Harry was at his side in an instant.

Snape snarled at him, apparently through instinct because he relaxed as he realised who stood before him.

"Are you well?" Harry ventured as he considered calling for Dumbledore.

"No. There are things you must know." Snape pulled himself together as Harry tried to relax.

"Tell me."

"Firstly, you won't have seen the Phrophet but rest assured that you've made quite an impact. I assume that last night's escapade was down to you?"

"Err..."

"Best not to admit things outright." Snape nodded in approval which worried Harry even more. "Regardless, the Dark Lord is searching for the culprits. He will soon link together any attacks. I suggest moving faster."

"Yes sir." Harry smiled. That much they could do.

"Next, I have seen... actually I don't know what I have seen. Part of the plan. His next move if we are lucky."

"It was bad?" that much was in Snape's tone.

"There are castle being built, deliberately in plain sight, and staffed with those who are loyal. People are going missing, Potter, and they are not coming back."

"How have we not heard about this?"

"You haven't been allowed to hear." Snape sighed. "Imagine if the students knew. They would be panicked and would run straight into danger."

"But - "

"No. Listen." Snape's breathing was ragged and he reached to pull Harry closer. "_listen_ because I can't help you more. The Dark Lord has done something. Changed something. I don't know what. The Headmaster...but that doesn't matter. There is more you have to..."

"Sir?"

Harry shook the older man violently by the shoulders and was debating punching him to try and force a reaction. Snape's eyes snapped back into focus fast enough that Harry staggered away.

"Potter!" Snape glared. "What are you doing here?"

Harry blinked. _What the hell is going on?_

"I err..."

"Well?" Anger seeped through every letter.

"You asked me to come, Professor." Harry backed away, something was very wrong. "But I... I'll go."

Harry ran from the dungeon.

Hermione still wasn't awake, Dumbledore was dealing with the Weasleys and whatever had Molly so worried yesterday. All the teachers would be in class and that only left Harry with one avenue of help: the DA.

. . .

"You know, I'm actually glad to see you." Draco explained as he rubbed at his eyes.

"Good. You won't be in a minute." Harry shouldered past the Slytherin and into the Room of Requirement. "It's freezing in here!"

Draco shrugged. "It works for me."

"Shouldn't you be in class?" Harry was relieved to find Draco here, but he didn't want students getting into trouble for helping him.

"Shouldn't you?"

"Fair point." Harry grinned.

"I am in classes. Not all of them though; I have research to do for some."

"Are you in potions still?"

"Every Slytherin is. I haven't been attending much."

"Would you go again?" Harry asked.

"I can do." Draco tilted his head to the side. "Why?"

"Something's wrong with Snape."

Draco was silent for long moments.

"I'll look into it."

"You're sure?" Harry was relieved. He was running out of people he thought he could go to with his problems. The Chosen were closer than family, but they had enough to deal with. Meeting Molly Weasley yesterday made him think of Sirius with a pang of longing. Perhaps Remus wasn't too far from his reach?

Draco shrugged. "I'll do what I can. But..."

Now Draco was the one to flinch away from asking for help.

"Yeah?"

"There's something going on with me." Draco rubbed at his eyes again. "Not only me, actually. I think Lavender Brown and possibly ... others."

"You can't say?" Harry frowned.

"No, it's that I'm not sure yet." Draco assured him. "If anything changes, I'll come to you, but this is odd."

"What kind of odd?" Harry had to wonder how much it would take to set Draco Malfoy on edge.

"Lavender's hair is still shining and something happens when we're together. It's something I don't understand." Draco sighed. "I know how this sounds, but we're hearing a voice."

"It's not in the walls, is it?" Harry joked weakly before he realised Draco wouldn't understand.

"It's... actually, it's singing."

"Singing?" Harry hadn't predicted that. _Could that mean...?_ "Well, I think you should speak to Hermione."

"Is she - "

"Unconscious." Harry stopped Draco short.

"Oh."

"But she'll be able to help."

"Right."

The two stood in silence that turned more awkward with every passing moment.

"What is it?" Harry wasn't used to Draco being so quiet.

"Some of the Slytherins have been taken out of school. They're calling it a 'family emergency.'"

"Do they come back?" Harry watched Draco wince.

"All of them. With a wounded arm."

The words felt like a blow to Harry's stomach.

"I should have seen this coming." Harry sank into a chair as the room provided one.

"Maybe." Draco looked behind himself to spot a similar chair. "But it was always going to happen."

. . .

Ginny sat in the great hall for the first time in days. She ate the food the elves had made with gusto and she tried to seem cheerful and interested in whatever Parvati and Lavender were telling her. The girls were a blessing; they knew that Ginny was pretending and they were happy to help.

She was there to watch Professor Snape. Harry explained Snape's odd behaviour and the grim sense of foreboding Harry felt at the potions master's actions had spread to her as well.

There was nothing strange about Snape tonight... unless you counted watching him fill his plate for a second time as strange.

"Well?" Parvatti asked in a different tone.

"I can't see anything." Ginny sighed.

"We can help there. The DA, I mean." The girl nodded fiercely.

"She's right." Lavender smiled. "You don't have to do this yourself. It's time we took on more."

"Where's Harry tonight?"

"With Draco, I think." She had shared Harry's mind for long enough that mental conversations were normal now. He had filled her in with everything and she'd told him to stay with Draco and then had stepped as far from his thoughts as she could. They both deserved privacy sometimes.

She'd always expected that Harry would speak to Ron if something was bothering him, and that was true to an extent. What really struck her was the realisation that _she_ would have asked Draco as well. Ron had enough to cope with today. They were all on edge over the change in Snape.

"You have that look about you." Parvati spoke after she's cast a spell to muffle their conversation to prying ears.

"What look?" Ginny blinked.

"Like you haven't had any quality time with your boyfriend."

"I..." Ginny blushed. "That's a look?"

"Sure. There were some stories floating about that your group was looking worse for wear yesterday – all bloody and warior-ish. Today you look like you're starting with a fever and you're jumping at shadows."

"How do you know these things?" Ginny sighed.

"It's a skill." Parvati laughed. "I know anything that might fuel gossip."

"And you need to reconnect." Lavender insisted.

"I suppose it's been a while since we've had a night alone." Ginny sighed as she twirled her spoon in a circle on the table.

When she looked up, Parvati was watching her intently.

"What's wrong?"

"I didn't realise you and Harry were that close." Lavender shrugged. "You're young, that's all."

"I'm old enough." Ginny hadn't expected this. She assumed the closeness between herself and Harry was obvious.

"Oh, I know. I'm not saying you're going anything wrong sleeping with Harry, I just..."

"Lavender's always planned to wait." Parvati explained with a conspiratorial wink.

"I haven't. Not exactly." Lavender blushed fiercely. "It's just that the first person is someone you always have to remember. The others can blur together, but that first time... you can't escape the memory."

"Sometimes I wish you could!" Parvati laughed and Ginny smiled at the older girl.

"Why?"

"How much honesty are you looking for?" Ginny asked.

"What do you mean?"

Parvati answered. "Well, if I tell the truth... that first time... it's pretty bad. Really bad, actually. Well, everything up until the sex is fantastic. Completely amazing. But that part just hurts."

"It's not much fun at all. Well... I think the boy likes it." Ginny amended. "I'm glad it was Harry – he was worth that first time. He was worth it hurting because everything else is magic." _Well... the first time was pretty magic too but that isn't exactly normal._

"Why are we talking about this?" Parvati blinked as though she'd only just realised what they were talking about.

Lavender looked away, eyes shining in the candlelight. "No reason."


	43. Snow

Harry ducked the spell almost on instinct. He wasn't sure he'd actually seen it coming but he ducked and the stone wall above him shattered. He threw himself out of the way of the falling rubble and slammed his back against the nearest solid surface he could find. It turned out to be a shop front and ha prayed that the glass would hold.

This was the second attack they had made that night. Hermione had been the one to raise the concern that they might become predictable and Harry realised that she was completely right: establishing a pattern could get them caught. Giving away any kind of routine or hint of emotion would give the Death Eaters clues they couldn't afford to betray to their enemies.

The anti-apparition wards had gone up without a hitch thanks to Ron and Hermione so all that was left had been the actual fight. They had to sweep every inch inside the wards for Death Eaters and then escape before anyone outside the wards noticed that they were there.

It was a lot easier in theory. The chaos of this kind of battle was something Harry hadn't expected. He'd had tastes of it before; at the Ministry and in the Chamber of Secrets, there was always madness in the middle of a fight. He didn't think he could reason clearly or hold onto a plan when he was being attacked. Now he had to learn how.

He thought they were getting better at it.

He guessed, as he threw himself away from the fall of shattering glass from the window, that there were at least five Death Eaters left to go, but he probably only faced one of them. They were both aiming blindly.

He and Ginny tried not to talk to each other's minds when they were fighting apart from each other since the voice in their minds would only add another reason why they were less focussed. He could have used some help though.

"Harry." Hermione called him in answer to his prayer.

They had to figure out a better way to speak. Shouting a name over the battlefield meant they had to kill anyone who could have heard it. If Voldemort knew he faced schoolchildren then Harry would bet half of Gringotts that Voldemort would turn on Hogwarts the next day.

"Hermione?" He didn't turn as he threw stones from the broken walls to intercept the lights of spells heading for him.

"Here," she dropped into place next to him, moving like water around every obstacle. She and Ron could move far more freely through a fight than he could.

"What can you tell me?" I was running low on rocks to throw.

"We're down to the last three. You have two here and I'll shield you while you stop them." Harry loved the fact that she always knew just what to say. The two friends shared a semi-bloodthirsty grin and got to work.

When there was time, Harry would worry about the effect this fighting was having on their sanity.

"Okay," Hermione smiled as she reached for the... the _wand_ stashed in the top of her boot.

"Haven't seen that in a while!" He grinned as he threw the last of his ammunition at their attackers.

"Travel size." She winked. "It's a lot harder to see what I'm doing if I don't use the sword."

It only took her a few moments to set up a barrier and for Harry to call on his earth element to bury the Death Eaters. They had been hidden inside another shop and Harry hoped that whoever owned that one would rather need a new floor than a new building.

He paused with his hand outstretched.

"Problem?" Hermione scanned their surroundings.

"I just... are the others close by?" Harry acted too quickly when he pulled the first man under the ground, he was dead. The second man...

"Nowhere near. What are you thinking?"

"That we need information." He sighed and he and Hermione exchanged the most serious look he had ever given another person.

"We do." She looked at him with complete honesty in her eyes. "We can do this alone. We don't need to tell Ron and Ginny, do we?"

"Not yet." Harry let out a long sigh. "Eventually, but... not yet."

The Chosen made it back to Hogwarts as the sun rose. They hadn't spoken past making sure no one was hurt and they had collapsed into their respective beds as soon as they could.

. . . . .

It was almost dark again by the time Harry woke up.

_Ginny?_

_Oh, did I wake you?_

_No. Where are you?_

_Library._

_We need – _

_We need to talk. I know._

She could hear his smile and imagined he was stretching as he set about looking for some clothes. It had taken her a good ten minutes to find her jeans that morning. She could lay her hand on her wand or sword without even opening her eyes, but finding a normal looking t-shirt with no blood on it or holes torn into it was impossible.

_Do you think the Headmaster is free? _

_Things are that bad? _She paused.

_...did you know Hermione can sing people into telling the truth? She has to be in mermaid form, but she can do it._

_That's not so bad, is it?_ Ginny thought over the idea. As long as they were there to protect Hermione it should be fine; she was vulnerable in mermaid form unless there was some kind of convenient lake nearby.

_She can't make them talk. Not without controlling what they said._

_But... you can?_ Ginny stopped looking at the book in front of her. For a few moments she couldn't follow the meaning Harry was trying to convey. He had made them talk? He had... he had tortured someone?

_I did._

_I could have helped._ She should have been there. There was no time to decide anything about the morals of what Harry had done, or what she would have done in his place. She should have been with him: to help or to hold him back.

_I know._

_I'll meet you at the Headmaster's Office?_

_Thank you._

_. . .  
_

When he got there, Ginny simply hugged him.

"I love you, Harry Potter."

"I-" He wrapped his arms around her and clung to her.

"I thought I could hear voices." Professor Dumbledore smiled at them as he walked up to the pair. "Perhaps we could speak inside my office? I have some excellent tea to share."

By the time they were seated and sipping mugs of tea, (it was not a day for cups and saucers; industrial quantities of tea and sugar were required according to the headmaster) Ginny could tell Harry was ready to speak.

"I've done something that I'm not sure I should have done." Harry began. "Except that I had to and I think I'll have to do it again."

"I assume this is not regarding the killing of Death Eaters since we have spoken about that before." The Headmaster had explained to all of them that he had lost count of the lives he had taken when he fought against Grindlewald. There had been one point he had tried to make clearer than any other: if it was a choice between killing and being killed, there is no choice.

"Torture." Ginny said. She thought it might show Harry some support. Her thoughts whirled as she tried to form her own opinion. She would support Harry, but could she make her peace with torture?

"Ah. I should have expected this sooner."

"You should?" Harry looked up in surprise.

"We are being denied information and it seems that we have lost almost all means of contact with the outside world. The Ministry will only provide what the Dark Lord wished to be known and all other avenues are watched too closely to be of any real help."

"Then - " Harry was cut off by a look from the headmaster.

"Then you are left with only two choices; act blindly or get information in any way that you can." Professor Dumbledore peered at them over his half-moon spectacles.

"How can this be the right thing?" Ginny could see Harry struggling with the question, particularly when he knew he would have to torture again. She knew it too... she knew that here element was well suited to torture. She knew that she would not let Harry suffer something she wouldn't share in.

"This war, for that is what we find ourselves fighting, does not allow us the luxury of doing 'the right thing'. If we only act with adherence to the rules we will be at a disadvantage."

"But - "

"Do no more damage than you must." Ginny murmured.

"Indeed." Professor Dumbledore smiled. "I see you have been listening to the advice of old men."

"Then we go on?" Harry pressed for an answer and Ginny understood why. To have the Headmaster give his permission took some of the weight off Harry's shoulders. There wasn't much that could lessen the burden they were learning to carry but this would help.

"Yes. We most hope that there will be time to make amends when the fighting is over. For now, we go on."

Ginny wondered if that was why Dumbledore chose to teach. He could easily have been Minister for Magic, but he chose Hogwarts.

"What about The Order?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore was being very quiet on the subject. It wasn't as though she thought the Order of the Phoenix were sitting idle, it just didn't seem like they could help directly. It was a disappointment. Ginny didn't think she had ever wanted adults to help them so much.

"They will always provide what they can." The headmaster said. "In fact, there is some news that I had hoped to verify before I shared."

"Bad news, I assume?" Ginny asked.

"Any news can come in useful even if it appears to be bad at first." Dumbledore told her. "Tell me, have any of your group come across the concept of a Horcrux?"

. . .

Draco had been shadowing Professor Snape's every move for two weeks. He hadn't been to a DA meeting and Blaze was clearly annoyed at him. Draco hadn't found time to explain and for now Blaze hadn't felt the need to call him on his actions.

He was stirring his cauldron absently, it wasn't his class that he was attending. Snape had given his older students permission to practice any potions they wished during their free periods so long as they stayed at the back of the class and didn't disrupt things.

Snape had been speaking to Pansy all afternoon. Well, not ALL afternoon, but Draco could see there was a dialogue between the pair more complex than 'is this draught the precise shade of scarlet described, sir?' and 'Miss Parkinson, those seeds must be powdered, not merely crushed'.

Not that Snape spoke that way now; orders were snapped and any results merely satisfactory at best. This was new. Snape was actually teaching some of the Slytherins in the same way he dealt with the rest of the school. It wasn't the careful act of malice, it was the real thing.

Draco was one of the lucky ones who Snape merely ignored. It meant Pansy had made progress where he could not.

He had to see her and find out what was happening.

Strangely his one ally in this was Lavender Brown. He would most likely have turned to her anyway because more and more often that was becoming his first idea when he needed help, but recently she had displayed a mastery of potions which was nothing short of spectacular.

Snape would at least listen to her questions, even though his responses were short tempered.

She openly admitted she had no clue where it had come from; she had always been good at the subject but something seemed to have fallen into place for her; she understood the concoction and could actually feel if the liquid inside her cauldron would be able to do what she asked of it. More importantly, if it wasn't then she knew how to put it right.

"Draco? Finite Incantatem! Draco?"

The voice broke him out of his thoughts and he blinked. The room was dark around him.

"W-Wha-" Draco stopped. He swayed dangerously and gripped the table before him for support.

"Someone hexed you." Lavender explained as Draco sat gratefully on one of the tall wooden stools in the potions classroom.

"I see." He frowned as his mind struggled to catch up. What time was it? How long had he been there?

"I was supposed to see Professor Snape, but he seems to be missing." Lavender babbled. She always did when she was nervous.

"Snape?"

"About this last batch of drought – I think I can change it to do something more than just make people tired."

"I'd have thought he'd be interested." Draco dragged his thoughts into focus.

"He was, that's why it's so strange that he's gone." She wrung her hands as she looked around the empty classroom.

"And I was here alone?"

"You were." She winced. Lavender understood what it would mean.

"He must know I was watching him." Draco sighed.

"Well, that's no problem." She let her words slow down to a normal pace. He must have been looking better. At least she wasn't panicking now.

"Really?" He drawled as his thoughts raced.

"I can do enough to keep him interested in my work." She explained quietly, hair shining in the semi-dark. "I'm not... I'm not being big headed, I just have so many ideas right now. I can tell him half of them and it'd take me all week. Then there's the brewing and the testing."

"I see." He nodded. "That would be good. Thank you."

"Any time." She smiled at him and he grinned back foolishly. He couldn't help it.

"What is it?" Draco asked when he realised she had been quiet for longer than was normal.

"Well, I always wanted a talent. This isn't what I expected and it's come on so quickly." Lavender perched on the desk in front of him.

"Maybe we should try to find Hermione again?" Draco had been trying to track her for weeks but she never seemed to leave Gryffindor Tower at the moment.

"I'd like that. I know there's something strange going on." Lavender said.

"Yes." There was no point in pretending things were normal now. "And I have to admit that I feel like you're involved."

"I know. You're in the middle of it with me." Hearing Lavender say the words made him proud. He didn't know why, but he felt it all the same. "Draco, you're the only one I can turn to and... I don't understand what's happening to us. I'm not sure about any of it. I think I want to run. I'm terrified of it, but I can't stop this."

Lavender traced patterns against the potions desk and wouldn't meet his eyes. "I don't know what to do. There are other things I want."

"There are other things I want from you." Draco heard himself speak before he realised he'd made the decision. He'd been suppressing the words for long enough that it shocked him to hear them. _What_ was happening tonight?

"I – I don't - " She didn't look up.

He paused as disappointment swept through him... but she didn't move away.

"Draco?" She broke the silence first.

"Wait, just wait, give me a moment."

She didn't speak, he honestly thought that she couldn't. She wasn't saying yes but she wasn't saying no either. Everything felt different today. Something had changed and it made him feel bold.

"Lavender, tell me if this feels wrong. You need to tell me stop." Draco pressed his lips against hers. God help him, what had taken him so long?

She wrapped her arms around him, meeting his passion with her own. He hadn't expected more than a chaste kiss, but he couldn't stop himself as her lips parted against his own.

When they broke apart, breathless and surprised, she was the first to speak.

"It's not. It's not wrong." She smiled. "I haven't ever actually..."

"Me either." Draco felt himself blush slightly as he spoke.

"Really?" He hadn't admitted that to anyone before.

"Is it that hard to believe?"

"Yes, actually. You and Ginny..." Lavender looked at him, questioningly.

"Oh, that. I... needed my father to give me some freedom." He realised he still held Lavender in his arms, he supposed he should step away but he couldn't bring himself to move.

"So you annoyed him." She laughed.

"Yes, and... why are we talking about this now?" Draco made sure that the look he gave her made his thoughts clear. He gave her plenty of time to back away from his advances.

"I'm sure you started it." She whispered as he moved closer to her.

The next kiss took his breath away and Draco didn't care at all. It was wonderful. He's never felt anything like this before.

Everything faded away, the room and his thoughts seemed do far from the feel of her lips against his and his hands at her waist. She pulled him closer as the kiss deepened. The feelings built, it was only a kiss, but there was so much more too it... something rose within them, it uncurled and flooded out into the room. Something danced between the two. Power swept through them and melded perfectly together.

When they broke the kiss neither one could form a sentence for long moments.

"Find Hermione?" Lavender whispered, as _snow_ swirled around them.

"I think so." He took her hand and they left the snow-covered classroom together.


End file.
